


Seal of The Seraphim

by Seraphim (ebissbort)



Series: The Seraphim's War AU [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Apocalypse, Badass!everyone, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Full Shift, M/M, Magic-Users, Magical Artifacts, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Magical Tattoos, Near Future, Not the twin Ethan, Past Lydia Martin/Stiles Stilinski, Past Rape/Non-con, Physical Abuse, Supernatural war, Time Travel, True Alpha Scott McCall, True Mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-02-01 23:09:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12714678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ebissbort/pseuds/Seraphim
Summary: This is an un-beta'd, purely experimental work. The kind of thing that just unfolds in your brain. Enjoy!





	1. Out of Options

**Author's Note:**

> This is an un-beta'd, purely experimental work. The kind of thing that just unfolds in your brain. Enjoy!

"Sir! You can't go in there! Sir!" A bewildered looking guard shouted as the tall figure swept past him.  
"Mr. Hale!" The guard shouted after him.  
Without a backwards glance, the man slammed his large hand down on the scanner.  
One beep later, and the heavy door swung inwards, revealing a shirtless man sitting on a cushion with his back to the door, glowing a warm gold.

"Derek Hale? How pleasant it is to finally meet you in person. Divination tell us..." the man paused, inhaled deeply, and continued, "...that you, like I, are not supposed to be in here."  
He smirked to himself as the guard finally caught up to Derek, doubled over and half-panting admonishments.  
"Mr. Hale, we have- have to leave now. Right now." The guard breathlessly implored Derek from outside the vault.  
"No. I have to know." Came the predictable reply.

"Before you ask me, you should know, should you open this door, the consequences could be dire for those who were involved." The man said with raised eyebrows.  
"Aren't they always?" quipped Derek impatiently.  
Slowly, gracefully, the man stood up and turned around.  
"Shorter than you thought?" He asked, cocking his head.  
"I've never met a Seraphim, I've only read your file." Derek admitted, his look was one of intrigue and awe.  
"Oh ho!? My file?" He laughed raucously.  
Derek was taken aback by the peal of laughter.  
"What? Thought I couldn't laugh? Feel joy? Happiness?" The man smiled sadly when he asked.  
"The restrictor..." Derek started  
"Was your mother's idea. Brilliant idea really. Unfortunately, our magic comes from a far deeper place, and that was the downfall of the restrictor device." The Seraphim started, shaking his head sadly.  
"I destroyed mine with my own magic. Burned like a bitch, I'll tell you! But as my file reflects, the price of destroying the restrictor device was never feeling any emotion again, yes. Also, my powers were short circuited." A tear dripped down his face.  
Derek's brows furrowed, and he took a step back.  
The Seraphim smiled sweetly.

Just as Derek turned to bolt out the door, it slammed shut. A barrier sprung up around the door, spreading across the walls, floor, and ceiling as the Seraphim raised his hands.  
Derek turned back around, Alpha shifted and ready to fight.  
He froze though, when he saw the Seraphim back on his cushion, sitting with his eyes shut.  
"They told you I'm dangerous, didn't they?" The Seraphim asked quietly.  
"Yes." Derek said flatly, his eyes searching the room for something, anything.  
With a gentle nod, the Seraphim acknowledged him.  
"They're right, you know. We are supremely dangerous. Especially me, because I was built for this."  
Derek did a double take at this information.  
"You read my file, so you know my name. Why don't you use it? Do you wish to dehumanize me? Too late honey, I'm an angel already." The Seraphim asked, opening his eyes to look at Derek.  
"Peter always said not to." Derek admitted.  
The Seraphim rolled his eyes and giggled, "Well, this is a special occasion. You're giving me a conjugal visit!"  
Derek's lips twitched upwards slightly, and the Seraphim closed his eyes again.

"Ask." He stated simply.  
"You can feel again?" Derek asked, not really needing the answer for confirmation.  
"Obviously, as you've seen. Looks like my abilities were just suppressed, not short circuited." The Seraphim quipped.  
"Will you help me Ethan?" Derek rushed, looking pained as he asked the question.  
"Wow." Ethan said shortly.  
There was a very pregnant pause, where the two of them locked eyes, Derek's blue-green, and the Seraphim's, or rather, Ethan’s, gold-brown.  
Then, he stood up and held a hand up.  
He gave Derek the finger, "Fuck the Hale family, who put me in this hole, fuck the war that I was supposed to lead, by the way, fuck the human condition, the human presence, the human existence."  
Derek stood there, stunned.  
"Oh, and finally, fuck you for asking for my help. I offered it to Peter when the pieces were still being placed. He told me that everything would be taken care of."  
Ethan sat back down as silent tears poured down his face.  
He raised a hand and snapped his fingers, causing the barrier to evaporate.  
The door slammed open and security guards rushed in, grabbing Ethan and roughly taking him to the ground, burning a sealing rune into his back as he shouted in pain.

Derek watched as Ethan let the guards beat him, burn him, and leave him bruised and bloodied. He never raised a finger to fight back, although he could have easily wiped them out of existence.  
When the guards finished, Derek ordered them out, much to their dismay, and over many protests.  
They shut the door behind them, and Derek approached Ethan. Peter had told him to never even come down to this cell, let alone enter it or approach Ethan.  
"Ethan?" He asked softly  
"Pillow under head please?" Ethan croaked from where he was curled up bleeding on the floor.  
Derek paused for a second, and realized that Ethan wasn't healing quickly and was really hurt.  
"Ethan, you're in pretty bad shape." Derek said, his voice laced with concern.  
"Why? Why do you care? You're- a Hale." He spat from the floor.  
"Why didn't you fight back?" Derek asked softly as he picked up the pillow and approached Ethan.  
"Why should I? They aren't evil, aren't harming the innocent, other than me, and they're just doing their job. There's no righteousness in harming them." He replied slowly and quietly after Derek slipped the pillow under his head.  
"But- you're a fallen angel." Derek said in confusion.  
Ethan let out a snort of disgust, "'Fallen' is the propaganda that your family derived from my emergence to paint me and my brethren in an evil light."  
Derek frowned, and studied Ethan's back for a minute.  
"Are you checking me out or something? I know when someone is looking at me..."  
"Your ink." Derek said simply.  
"Ah, yes. I had almost forgotten how much of it there was. I can't use any of it in here really." Ethan explained, “I’ll heal, albeit just slowly now. That's part of the 'designed' bit I was talking about earlier. But none of it matters now." He finished bitterly.

As the door swung shut behind him, Derek heard Ethan say, "Look into my emergence, the truth. Ask Peter about Dallas, New Year’s 2017."  
Derek shook his head as the door sealed behind him, but so much of what he had seen contradicted Ethan's file, and even Peter's own statements.  
Derek headed upstairs to begrudgingly investigate Ethan's claims. He needed help winning this war, and the only piece left to play it seemed, was the Seraphim, supposedly the highest and most powerful of angels.

 

Derek walked up to the elevator, pondering what he was going to ask Peter about first, if anything. He was saved the trouble, however, when the doors opened and Peter was standing inside, smiling in that knowing way he does.  
"Derek! What brings you down here?" Peter exclaimed, holding his hand out in greeting to Derek, who shook it, albeit reluctantly.  
"Interrogating the Seraphim." Derek said simply, knowing that Peter was listening to his heartbeat.  
"How coincidental, I was coming down here to do the same thing. I heard that he seems to have reacquired his powers?" Peter probed.  
Derek scanned his hand and pressed the button for the executive suites when Peter didn't step out.  
"Well, if he has, let's hope that we are safely not in his sights." Derek said, sidestepping the issue.  
"Quite, my young nephew. The amount of power the Seraphim wield is frightening, and you would do well to remember that."  
Derek nodded pensively as he waited for the awkward elevator ride to end. He let out a small sigh of relief when the doors opened to the Hale Enterprises executive level.

 

Derek strolled through the executive lobby of the company run by his mother's pack. As he walked up to his office, he stopped for a moment to give Cora and Laura a hug.  
Derek had gained notoriety in the early days of the war, when he aided hunters in a spectacular op designed to destabilize the opposing forces by removing a new Alpha Pack that aligned itself with the Nemeton.  
The op was a success, but with one twist: the hunters were unable to trap and kill one of the alphas, so Derek tracked down the wounded alpha and eliminated him, thus gaining alpha status of his own.  
After that, Derek built his own pack as an adjutant pack to his mother's. Everything was working out really well, except for the fact that they were rapidly losing the war.

Erica, his secretary and personal muscle, sat at her desk, filing her nails stereotypically. She gave him a wink and he rolled his eyes.  
Erica was flirty, even with the executives, but everyone knew she and Boyd were involved. She was also dangerous, sweetness was a mask she wore to hide the ruthless, beautiful woman beneath.  
Isaac and Boyd sat in the conference room together, poring over a folder.  
Boyd ran the covert ops forces under Hale control, and he was good at it. Isaac was Boyd's second, using his good looks and charm out in the field to gather intel.  
Derek stopped at the head of the conference desk and leaned against it.  
"What's up guys?" He asked as Isaac and Boyd looked up.  
"New threat assessment. The divination division doesn’t seem to be trying to make friends with this..." Boyd remarked darkly as he handed the folder over.  
Derek glanced at it and sighed, day by day, things were getting worse.  
"Boyd. I want all the files on the Seraphim in here in 30 minutes." Derek said as he handed the folder back.  
He ignored Boyd's questioning look and walked out.

Ten minutes later, his phone rang. Derek sighed and looked down at it, knowing what was coming.  
"Hello." He said flatly.  
"Derek. Why have you pulled the Seraphim files?" Peter's saccharine voice came through the earpiece.  
"Because I want to review them. Why do you care?" Derek asked back snappily.  
"I just thought you'd be more concerned with the actual goings-on in the war that you seem to be losing." His uncle's tone changed, becoming more sneering and acidic.  
"Of course I am. I just finished reviewing the newest threat assessment. I'm sorry, but I have a lot to do, I've got to go." Derek concluded the conversation, hanging up before Peter could muster a reply.  
"Ass." Derek muttered to the phone after hanging up.

 

Derek went back into the conference room to find it only had a couple boxes on the table.  
"Wait, is this it?" He asked in confusion.  
Boyd nodded and shrugged, "These are the hard files, data, observations, and the personal effects of the Seraphim."  
Derek looked at the boxes, "Boyd, that's what it says on the side of the box. What's actually inside?"  
"I was going to leave the honor of opening the boxes to you, actually." Boyd said, pushing a box to Derek.  
With a flick of a claw, Derek sliced open the tape and lifted the lid.  
"Holy shit." He said, looking inside.  
Boyd and Isaac stepped over, peering down into the box.  
"Dude, you're not actually going to..." Isaac asked, turning to Derek.  
"You'd do it for intel, I'd do it to win this war." Derek said, reaching in and grabbing the iPad in the bag labeled "Seraphim Personal Journal - Confiscated"

Derek opened the bag and pulled out the tablet, trying in vain to turn it on, finding the battery to be dead. He sighed and plugged it into the wall.  
He walked back to the boxes, which Boyd and Isaac had begun to rummage through.  
"Wow, he likes to lift." Isaac said as he hefted a gym bag out and opened it up.  
"You've never seen him in person. He's pretty jacked." Derek said without looking up from inside the box.  
Boyd and Isaac both stopped, turning to Derek in surprise.  
"You've actually seen him?" Boyd asked, a frown crossing his mouth.  
Derek looked over to the conference room doors, and strained his wolf hearing for a second to ensure they wouldn't be overheard.  
"Today, for the first time. He actually could've killed me down in the vault, but he didn't. Then he voluntarily lowered the barrier that he trapped me in there with, and he didn't fight back when the guards beat the shit out of him. All he wanted was a pillow for his head as he lay there, bleeding and in pain. It was... the opposite of what his file indicated, and what Peter said."  
Isaac let out a low whistle as he and Boyd exchanged significant looks.  
"Derek... why were you down there?" Boyd asked quietly.  
Derek paused, then sat down and buried his face in his hands, a rare sign of exhaustion from the alpha.  
Boyd and Isaac sat down as well, silently waiting to hear what Derek was going to say.  
After a large sigh, Derek began, "I can't find a way to win this war without playing him, the Seraphim. It's just not possible. I needed to know if he would help us."  
Isaac raised his eyebrows, "And...?"  
"What do you think? The Hale family has really done a number on this guy. He was pretty forceful in saying no." Derek explained, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
"Derek, it sounds like you're questioning us detaining a powerful enemy." Boyd explained.  
"No, what I'm questioning is whether he really is an enemy or not. He told me to look into his emergence and to ask Peter about Dallas, New Years’ Eve 2017.” Derek calmly replied.  
"Last year, the day when he was detained?" Isaac asked.  
"Precisely. Peter was in the elevator at the vault level when I left, then he called me when I pulled these files, and he was much less pleasant on the phone. Something has got to be going on." Derek recounted darkly.  
Boyd and Isaac looked at each other, then back at Derek, "You know we've got you one hundred percent always. Me, Isaac, Erica, Scott, Stiles, all of us.  
Derek chuckled and looked at Boyd, "You know, for someone who runs ‘covert’ ops, you're making the circle on this one pretty big."  
"Big, but still just pack." Boyd added.  
"Well, two packs actually. Scott's been busy building his pack with Stiles in San Francisco ever since he became a True Alpha." Derek said with a small smile.  
"You're really proud of him aren't you?" Boyd asked, grinning back at Derek.  
"Absolutely. I never thought that the loser kid who nearly died of an asthma attack in our woods would become a True Alpha." Derek admitted with a chuckle as he shifted through some papers.  
"Finally glad your mom gave him the bite?" Isaac asked snarkily.  
Both Boyd and Derek glared at him and he threw his hands in the air, "Look, I'm just saying what everyone was thinking. We all know it was rough there for a bit."  
Derek shook his head in annoyance, "Obviously I'm glad he got the bite. He's essentially my brother. Leave it."  
Isaac looked down at the floor in submission as Derek and Boyd returned to the boxes.  
"Well, let's go through more and see if there's evidence to support Ethan being a good guy." Derek said as he pulled out a folder.

 

Derek spent the next week poring over Ethan's journal, learning everything he could.  
With each word and each entry, Derek became more and more certain that Ethan was truly good, and not a fallen angel as Peter, and his file, made Ethan out to be.  
The journal became an insight not only to the power of the Seraphim, but the gentleness, kindness, and purity of heart Ethan had to possess to be chosen to emerge as a Seraphim. One of the most beautiful things he described in his journal was how almost everyone he came in contact with came to love him, platonically or otherwise. The power of love, the power of which Ethan had become the avatar, radiated from him, almost infectiously, enriching the lives of those he came in contact with, even just in passing.  
The transition for Ethan hadn't been easy, as his journal indicated. The amount of emotional trauma caused by being empathic had taken its toll. However, Ethan refused to give up, he loved everyone and everything, so he persevered through the process and eventually became ready for his role.  
For a while now, Ethan had known war was coming, and had been gearing up for it. The very last entry was one of sadness. The day the war started, nearly a year ago. Ethan could feel it start, according to his own description it literally had brought him to his knees, the pain and despair that was emanating from the first moves were like a sharp knife twisting his his chest. Then, the knife was removed and liquid fire was poured into the hole leftover.  
Derek put down the journal at that point and had to walk away. He went out to his bedroom balcony and leaned against the rail as the sun set out at sea.  
A tear unwillingly rolled down Derek's cheek and he cursed himself. He knew that feeling Ethan described all too well. It was the same feeling he felt when Paige rejected the Bite and he had ended her suffering. The same feeling he had when he found out that Kate Argent had been manipulating him and had nearly succeeded in using him to massacre the whole Hale family.  
The journal told Derek one thing, Ethan was on his side, the side of good, not the Nemeton's. This raised a highly uncomfortable question for Derek to confront. Why had Peter created this fake file, locked Ethan up, generated propaganda around him, tortured and interrogated him?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: discussion/depiction of non-con

The next morning, Derek went down to the vault. The guard didn't try to stop him this time, for which Derek was thankful.  
Ethan was sitting with his back to the door when it bolted shut ominously behind Derek.  
"Good morning Derek Hale. I'm very pleasantly surprised, two visits in one week? I'm just barely healed from the last time. My regen just isn't what it used to be, but it's coming back slowly, like all the other powers. Maybe next time bring food and we can have breakfast. I like eggs.“ Ethan said, spinning around slowly on a pillow as Derek walked in.  
Derek stood in place, hands behind his back.  
"Do you feel it again now?" Derek asked softly, revealing the iPad he was holding.  
Ethan stiffened momentarily, then rearranged his pillows and laid down, propping himself up on one arm, "Mmmm, this sounds like a feelings, and pillow, talk." He patted an empty pillow next to him, "Shouldn't we have pillow talk on the pillows?"  
"Stop deflecting." Derek said quietly, stepping closer to Ethan.  
Ethan cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, then waved two fingers and a pillow floated over to Derek, going behind him and pressing itself against his butt repeatedly and pointedly.  
"Ok, I get it." Derek said exasperatedly, grabbing the pillow and sitting on it as Ethan giggled.  
"I see you've been through my diary. So how'd that taste in your mouth?" Ethan asked airily as he examined his nails.  
"The last entry... the restrictor..." Derek said incoherently.  
"Yeah, and now here we are." Ethan said with a sigh.  
Derek looked at him intently, "You can feel it, right now, all the way from here, can't you?"  
Ethan put his hand down and looked away, grimacing.  
"Every second that I've had my powers back-" He stopped and sobbed loudly, his hand flying up to his mouth to stifle it.  
Derek's eyebrows flew up as Ethan regained his composure and cleared his throat.  
"If I think about it, it can get bad, real bad." Ethan paused, barely suppressing a shudder.  
His eyes glazed over and he glowed even brighter, "But yes, I can feel every soul being torn asunder every time it happens out there. That place isn't called 'Beacon Hills' for nothing. It broadcasts pain, grief, death, like an open sore in the side of the world. That's why evil is so drawn there."  
Derek watched Ethan lay down slowly on his back, his glow faded as he folded both hands over the tattoo on his chest.  
"Derek?" Ethan's voice was barely a whisper.  
Derek hesitated, Ethan voice had changed, grown desperate in its tone, and his glow had faded to near nothingness.  
"Yes?"  
"Please. Please kill me." Ethan pleaded shakily, tears had filled his eyes and were trickling down the sides of his face.  
"What!?" Derek said incredulously.  
Ethan slammed his hands on the ground and was propelled to his feet, he flared brilliantly in front of Derek screaming as tears splashed down his face to the floor, "I can't do this anymore! I can't help anyone out there, and everyone is dying because I'm fucking stuck in here and its killing me! It's killing me, but I'm not dying from it, I just spend every waking moment of every day feeling like I'm in the throes of death! Just fucking shoot me, god, anything, please, just put me out of my misery for fuck's sake Derek! Why're you doing this to me!?"  
He fell to his knees, threw his hands up and screamed in agony; the lights overhead exploded. Derek shielded himself from the flying glass.

Alarms started blaring as soon as the lights blew, and emergency lights popped on in the vault.  
Ethan knelt there, head in his hands, body wracked with sobs.  
Derek felt so much pity for this poor guy, and knew that there was so much more to this story than Peter had ever bothered to let on.  
The sound of the guards rushing their way was only detectable by Derek's wolf hearing and he took a step towards Ethan. Derek wasn't going to let the guards beat him this time.  
Just as Derek took a step forward, Ethan's head snapped up.  
With a flash, Ethan shot forward and grabbed Derek by the throat, slamming him into the wall.  
Derek tried to struggle but found he couldn't move from the neck down, he snarled and growled at Ethan.  
Ethan looked up at the taller Alpha dead in the eye as they were nearly chest to chest.  
"No, this isn’t me at full power, just a bare minimum. When I touch you directly, I can block the flow of energy in your nerves. So, you’ve let your guard down now and I could kill you, if I were evil. I'm not evil, and you and I are out of time. You've been poking around this too much. Peter is going to come down here investigating."  
The guards started banging on the door and Ethan lifted his left hand. The door instantly fell silent.  
Derek's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up.  
"Oh for god's sake, I just put them to sleep Derek. Hello, if I were going to kill anyone, I would start with a Hale. Which I happen to have one literally in my grasp."  
He started to lower Derek to the ground but Derek shook his head furiously, and mouthed ‘Peter’. Ethan narrowed his eyes at him and then understanding quickly dawned on Ethan. He jerked his head silently in acknowledgement, reluctantly raising Derek back up.  
Ethan's eyes quickly surveyed the ceiling and then cracked a grin.  
He pointed his left hand at the fire sprinklers and chuckled, "It's been a while, but let's see how friendly the water elemental is with me."  
He inhaled deeply and twirled his fingers, instantly causing the sprinkler system to activate, water pouring out of the ceiling.  
"Now Peter can't hear heartbeats over the alarms and can't smell chemokines because of us being soaked." Ethan whispered into Derek's ear, pulling back and flashing a sly smile. Derek returned the smile and Ethan did a double take.  
Before he could process the fact that Derek Hale had just smiled back at him, Peter slammed the door open, skidding to a halt in the middle of the room.  
Ethan spun around, snapping his free fingers, sealing the door with a crack. He held Derek up, placing the Alpha between himself and Peter, using Derek’s back as a shield.  
Ethan loudly greeted the snarling Peter, "Good morning Peter Hale. Just who I wanted to see. No coffee for me? How rude."  
Peter looked between him and Derek's back, shaking his head in frustration, "God damn it Derek, I told you to stay away from him. Now look at this, he's literally got you by the throat."  
"All I want is you Peter! The man who ruined my life!" Ethan called back over the din.  
Peter started circling the room, and Ethan did the same, maintaining Derek as his shield.  
"It can only end one way Seraphim, you know that." Peter spat as he edged towards the door.  
"Oh can it now? I find it interesting that you think that." Ethan replied airily.  
Ethan leaned forward almost imperceptibly so he could whisper in Derek's ear without Peter seeing, "Thank god you're taller than me. I have a plan. Act like nothing has changed."  
"I've read everything there is on you, I know you inside and out-" Peter teased, extracting one of the special sealing batons from his waistband.  
Ethan lowered Derek a little, just so his feet were on the ground, "See the rune on the side of my left shoulder."  
"-and it looks like you're getting tired! Can't hold your wolf shield as high anymore I see-"  
Ethan continued as Peter reveled in the teasing, "Concentrate as hard as you can on your desire to help me, and to fix these wrongs-"  
"-you spend locked up in this vault is a perfect day in my-"  
"-and press your right palm into it. I should be able to regenerate fully. Just need to take, well, nearly all of your energy, sorry.”  
"-which is why you'll never win!" Peter cackled madly.  
Ethan cackled, "Sorry to ruin your soliloquy Uncle Petey, but I wasn't listening to a god damned thing you said."  
Peter stopped, and his face soured.  
"Nah, actually I heard two things. One, yeah, I put my shield down a bit. Also, you said I can't win." Ethan explained calmly over the sirens, much to Peter's chagrin.  
"Sorry." He whispered to Derek, and let go of him.  
Derek grabbed Ethan's shoulder as soon as the fingers lifted from his neck.  
There was a blinding flash and both wolves were knocked backwards off their feet by a wave of energy.  
Derek stared up from the floor in awe as flaming wings burst forth from Ethan’s back, three pairs of them. The pair concealing his head and lower body shimmered out of existence, leaving the broad pair extending from his back.  
He cracked his neck and flexed his wings magnificently, letting out a sigh of relief.  
"Peter, you read everything about me, yes, but guess who wrote all of it?" Ethan said casually with a sly shrug.  
Realization dawned on Peter as Ethan gave him a sarcastic little twiddle of the fingers in farewell.  
Peter scrambled to his feet and lunged, just as Ethan slammed his hands together.  
"JUMP!" He shouted, disappearing with a flash and a screeching zing, Peter's baton passing through the very spot he had been standing not half a second later.

"FUCK! SHIT! GOD DAMN IT DEREK!" Peter turned and raged at Derek, spittle flying from his mouth.  
"We have to find him." Derek said calmly, standing up and wiping the water from the sprinklers off his face.  
"You have any idea what this means? How bad this is? Jesus Christ Derek, the war could be over in a couple of days now, and we won’t be left standing, thanks to that horror that you've unleashed!" Peter screamed at him, his eyes bugging madly.  
"Why is that Peter? I haven't seen a single aggressive action taken by Ethan, except for today, and nobody is even seriously injured." Derek asked, shaking his head in disbelief at his Uncle.  
Peter waved his hands around at the chaos and destruction mouthing wordlessly in exasperation.  
Derek turned and walked out of the vault, stepping over the guards who had just begun to stir.  
"Seems to me like he's on our side. I don't see any of our guys being held, tortured, or worse by him." Derek said pointedly as they walked to the elevator.  
Peter was steaming, still fully shifted to beta form as he stomped down the corridor after Derek.  
"I'm deploying Boyd and Isaac, along with all the fire teams that aren't on mission." Peter declared as he slammed his hand onto the hand scanner in the elevator, breaking it.  
"Oh great, thanks Peter, that's just great. Now we take the stairs." Derek said as he stepped out of the elevator and walked to the stairwell nearby.  
"Also, I don't think you're deploying anyone. Last I checked, you're Mom's, what was it again? 'Personal Assistant' was the title on your HR documents, if memory serves." Derek added acidly before he morphed into the Full Shift and bolted up the stairs gracefully.  
Peter turned brick red, then nearly purple, clenching his fists and drawing blood with his claws. Blood dropped to the floor as he narrowed his eyes at Derek's wolf-form back as he bounded away.

"Alright, Erica, I need Boyd and Isaac in the conference room, five minutes ago." Derek commanded as he swept into his office.  
"Ok, just a sec." She replied, typing away at her computer.  
Derek went in and sat down at the head of the table, sighing in exhaustion. He leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes and waiting for his betas to arrive.

 

"I just got a mission order from Peter...?" Boyd asked in confusion as he entered.  
"Me too!" Isaac added from a few feet behind.  
"Ignore it. All orders issued by Peter are hereby countermanded, permanently." Derek said darkly.  
Derek raised his hand before his betas could ask questions.  
"The Seraphim, Ethan, is on our side, I believe. He escaped the vault a few minutes ago, and Peter is livid."  
Boyd and Isaac looked at each other, then back at Derek in complete bewilderment.  
"How could he have escaped the vault?" Boyd said, his brow furrowed.  
"With my help." Derek stated simply.  
"Oh boy." Isaac sighed, rubbing his eyes vigorously.  
"Derek..." Boyd began, folding his arms and pursing his lips.  
Derek shook his head and explained, "Peter cooked up all the bad I've read about Ethan, that's why he didn't want anyone in the vault with him. Ethan could easily prove that he's not what his file says, and he did."  
Derek checked the clock on his phone, "I'm going to go talk to Peter and then go home, I'm exhausted after the incident in the vault. Nobody is authorized to commence any missions or modify any mission parameters so that Ethan is included in them in any way without my express authorization."  
"That's oddly specific Derek." Boyd frowned.  
"Peter might try something, and I have to out think that man. So, gotta be specific and precise." Derek shook his head and stood up.  
"Ok, stay safe." Boyd remarked and Isaac nodded in agreement.  
"Yeah." Derek said as he headed out the door.

There was a knock on the door and Peter didn't bother to look up as the door opened and Derek strolled in.  
"I wanted to say I'm sorry about the comment regarding your title. I know that the Left Hand doesn't come with extravagance, and I spoke out of anger." Derek said to the top of Peter's head as he sat down.  
"You're right. But I keep things from going to shit. Well, usually.“ Peter put his pen down and looked up at Derek, "You have questions. You narrow your eyes when something confuses you."  
"Tell me about Ethan and Dallas 2017." Derek said flatly.  
"Ah. Lovely New Year's party. The Seraphim was the life of the party, until one of our operatives got close, close enough to seduce him. We had watched him long enough to know what he would be quite taken with. He looked a bit like you if memory serves..." Peter began to recount fondly.  
Derek shifted uncomfortably in his seat at these words.  
"Oh, don't worry, we... no longer employ that operative." Peter waved his hand dismissively, "Anyway, so our operative seduced him, drugged his drink with a powerful herb combo, and we extracted him as they left to engage in relations."  
Peter concluded his report with a clap, then glared at Derek as he said "Now, all of that was a waste, unless we get him back in the vault."  
Derek nodded pensively, then asked, "What happened during his emergence?"  
Peter paused and pursed his lips, "Derek. Multiple ritual murders were committed to assure his emergence. It was gruesome, even by the standards of evil."  
Derek hung and shook his head, "What have we done?"  
Peter scoffed, "I did my job. The real question is, what have YOU done, dear nephew? Hope you get this fixed before Talia gets back from D.C."  
Derek grimaced and stood up, "I will."  
They didn't acknowledge one another as Derek left, the silence between them burdened with resentment on both sides.

 

Derek arrived home and dropped his keys into the bowl with a deep sigh. He decided to enjoy the comfort of the darkness of his bedroom, shedding everything but his boxers, despite it being barely noon.  
He flopped facedown on the bed, quickly passing out.


	3. Chapter 3

A cool breeze caressed Derek's body, making him shiver, and waking him from his slumber.  
He pushed himself up slowly, realizing that the sliding glass door to the balcony was now open.  
But before he could push himself up more than a couple inches, a voice floated in through the doorway, "Hi."  
Derek's eyebrows shot up when he recognized the voice as Ethan's.  
Pushing himself all the way up, Derek looked over to the doorway to see Ethan leaning against it, looking over his shoulder at Derek.  
"Wings?" Derek croaked, his throat and mouth parched.  
"Voluntary manifestation. Well, usually, but not when I undergo a massive regeneration like that.“ Ethan explained as he eyed Derek, who suddenly became aware of how nearly naked he was.  
Ethan dropped his gaze and rubbed the back of his arm awkwardly, walking up to the railing.  
Derek watched him silently as he played with a small energy manifestation between his fingers while he gazed out over the city.  
"You know what one of the worst parts about this is?" Ethan asked into the air, knowing Derek would hear him.  
"It's that, as far as I know, nobody bothered to care for, rescue, remove, or release the leopard gecko I had at home. I still have no idea what happened to her. I miss her." Ethan admitted dejectedly hanging his head with a sniff.  
Derek pushed himself off the bed and padded quietly towards the balcony door.  
"She used to climb along my hand like this," He indicated the energy by raising his hand, "it would tickle when she went over the back-"  
Ethan felt a warm hand on his shoulder and froze.  
"This ok?" Derek asked hesitantly.  
"I haven't- it's just- I mean-" Ethan stammered and stumbled, growling in frustration with himself when the energy between his fingers evaporated.  
"Take your time." Derek said, staring out over the city with him.  
After a steadying breath, he continued, "For nearly a year I haven't been touched by anyone in any caring capacity. Always pain, always torture, always experiments. Never- never this." Ethan choked up.  
Derek slowly began to withdraw his hand from Ethan's shoulder until Ethan dropped his head and looked to him, "Please, don't?"  
Derek slid his hand back up to where it had been, giving Ethan a small squeeze of reassurance.  
They both looked towards the city as it glittered under the noon sun.

"How'd you get in here? Or even find this?" Derek asked softly after a few minutes of silence.  
"Hard to explain. I knew I couldn't go anywhere that I had gone before to crash. The thing is, while I was getting ready to teleport, I just couldn't get you out of my head. Your smell, the feel of your neck, your pulse..." Derek detected a shift in Ethan's chemokines, towards both shame and attraction.  
"Wait." Derek stated, turning towards Ethan.  
"I know about New Year's. Peter told me." Derek offered.  
"Oh, so he told you what they did to me." Ethan dropped his head and the shame scent nearly doubled in strength.  
"Why're you ashamed?" Derek asked quietly, looking away from Ethan.  
"You look like him. Tall, muscular, beard, chiseled jaw. Shit, chiseled everything..." He remarked, adding, "But I actually enjoyed what fun we did have..."  
"What fun? You mean you getting drugged and kidnapped?" Derek asked in disbelief.  
Ethan turned to Derek and studied his face, "Jesus, you actually still believe Peter? Did Peter happen to leave the part out where he let the operative fully engage in, and complete, relations with me, multiple times? Did Peter tell you that once I was drugged, it didn't take long for the operative to decide to continue enjoying himself?"  
Derek's face was plastered with horror by the time Ethan paused.  
"Want to know the worst part?" Ethan asked with a sick chuckle.  
Derek shook his head in dismay but didn't stop him from continuing.  
"Peter killed the operative. Right in front of me. Nearly twisted his head clean off. Now, that didn't mean much at the time because he sent a werewolf in to do the job. So then, he put this paralyzed werewolf, who looked like a normal human right then, on top of my chest and used my hand to inject a lethal dose of wolfsbane into this guys neck. Of course, he sat down in the chair next to the bed and watched the guy die slowly, agonizingly."  
Ethan let out a sob, and Derek squeezed his shoulder again.  
"When I was in direct contact with the wolf, I could feel him dying. The pain, anguish, terror, panic, et cetera. Poured straight into me, undiluted. I felt everything he felt, up to and including when his heart stopped." Ethan turned away.  
"Ethan..." Derek whispered sympathetically.  
A painful silence settled, but Derek didn't remove his hand.  
After a while, Ethan turned back to the railing, leaning on it.  
"He was good in bed, damned good. I let my guard down and had more fun with him than I had had in a long time. Should've known." Ethan shook his head.  
"Part of you has human needs, desires, and urges. That's ok, I don't know of any supernatural being who doesn't have them to some extent. In fact, you could say that they are universal, not human, in nature." Derek reassured him.  
"To finish answering you... instead of resisting thinking about you, I focused on thinking of nothing but you. I focused on somewhere where you liked to be alone, and I guess I..." Ethan paused, visibly struggling to find the right word, "extracted this location from you, then I let go of you. You know the rest. I waited for you on your balcony, but let you sleep when you came in and collapsed." Ethan finished glumly.  
Derek sighed heavily, then his hand dropped from Ethan's shoulder. Ethan's head swiveled around in surprise, just in time to see Derek sway on the spot before crumpling.  
Ethan deftly caught Derek and carried him back to the bed, depositing him gently.  
"Oops." Ethan said quietly with a grimace.

Derek woke up to the smell of bacon, bacon which was being used to poke him in the lips.  
"Hey, sleepy head. Eat." Ethan offered, poking Derek once more.  
Derek glared at him, then tried to sit up, only to fall back with a groan.  
"Dude, I said eat. You have all of no strength, seeing as I took virtually all of it to re-power the regeneration rune. Eeeeeeeat." Ethan whined at him.  
Derek grumpily snatched the bacon out of his hand and crammed it into his mouth.  
His glare disappeared instantly and he looked over at Ethan in surprise.  
"Wow, that is fantastic!" Derek lauded through a full mouth, reaching for another piece.  
"Nuh huh, hold up. Damn." Ethan admonished, holding the plate out of reach.  
He picked up a piece of bacon and closed his eyes. He glowed softly and a mass of golden energy swirled around the bacon before penetrating it and disappearing.  
"That's the secret ingredient. Pure Seraphic energy. Tasty, eh?" Ethan chuckled as he handed the bacon to Derek who didn't hesitate to take it.  
Ethan looked surprised at Derek's eagerness to take the bacon.  
As he raised the bacon to his mouth, Derek paused and laughed, "Don't look so surprised, there's no way something that tastes this good could be evil. Impossible."  
Ethan smiled softly at this, then explained as Derek chewed, "I only needed to put a little back. Just enough so you'd be strong enough to take it all at once."  
Derek cracked up as Ethan finished, and when Ethan realized how he had said what he did, he rolled his eyes hard at Derek, who laughed even harder.  
"You done?" Ethan asked exasperatedly before setting the plate on the nightstand.  
Derek nodded and stifled another chuckle.  
"Ok, hopefully when I give this back, you'll become a mature adult once again. Please." Ethan said quickly, eyeing Derek who was laying there quietly with a smirk.  
Ethan inhaled deeply, and he began to glow golden.  
He stopped, then looked down at Derek, who was staring at him.  
"Dude. The staring harshes my vibe. Close your eyes." Ethan instructed him with a frown.  
He went back to concentrating, and eventually the glow intensified, washing out the shadows in the room. Slowly, the mass moved from all around him up to his arms.  
"Whew, this is quite a bit to move so gently and precisely.” He said, grimacing as sweat started to bead on his forehead.  
"Ok, wow, here you go. Everything that I needed goes back to you!" Ethan pressed his hands to Derek's bare torso, and the flow drained from Ethan's hands into Derek, who gasped sharply and arched his back up off the bed when the energy transferred.  
"Oh god, Derek, are you ok?" Ethan asked as he withdrew his hands shakily.  
Derek coughed once, "Oh. Wow. Damn."  
Ethan chuckled, then collapsed onto the edge of the bed, panting.  
"But are you ok?" Derek asked as Ethan steadied himself.  
"Yeah, yeah. Just... moving lots of power while a bit rusty can be exhausting. Like when I jumped to here, I collapsed and passed out for an hour or so." Ethan explained as he pushed himself up slowly.  
"I didn't know you could do that." Derek admitted quietly.  
"Nobody did until I jumped in front of you and Peter. I've kept that one of my most closely guarded secrets. Didn't have a choice in the vault though, I had to use it to escape." Ethan explained as he sat back down in the chair.  
Derek nodded silently as he looked over at the clock on the nightstand. It was mid-afternoon, and he should probably check in with his pack.  
“You sound better.” Derek commented quietly as he started tapping away on his phone.  
Ethan looked up, “Controlling my emotions is something I’ve worked very hard at. I feel incredibly deeply, which can be both glorious and agonizing. I choose to laugh and be playful, rather than face the alternative.”  
Derek had stopped typing, his thumbs poised over the screen mid-word.  
“That’s... enlightened.” He replied slowly before continuing to type. The pair fell silent for a few moments.  
"I'm going to make sure Peter isn't wreaking havoc at the office. The guest room is all yours." Derek said as he placed his phone back down on the nightstand.  
Ethan looked up at Derek in surprise, "I mean, you don't- that's not-"  
Derek cut him off, "I want you to stay."  
A small 'oh' of surprise escaped Ethan's lips, and he looked away.  
"Hey. You don't have to. I just want to help right the wrongs that Peter and his ilk have done to you. God, Ethan..." Derek said softly, sitting up slightly to look at him.  
Ethan paused, looking at Derek critically, "I will. I just- A lot has happened in the past week? I don't really know how to process all this, so I’m just trying to control it."   
He stood up and walked to the bedroom door as Derek added, "Nobody, not even my pack, knows about this place."  
Ethan paused in the doorway and looked back at him, "Why? It's so beautiful."  
Derek smiled sweetly, "I know. I wanted this place to be somewhere I could take the person I'm dating, somewhere for just the two of us."  
"Then perhaps I shouldn't stay." Ethan giggled and wagged his eyebrows at Derek, "Wouldn't want me to overhear or intrude on you two..."  
With a deep sigh, Derek pushed himself all the way up, "Oh, I'm very much single right now. As soon as I was ready to get back out there and date, well..."  
"The war." Ethan said knowingly as he shook his head in disgust.  
"Yeah."  
Ethan turned to leave but paused, saying, "Sorry that I'm the first person you shared this with. Doesn't seem right." He left Derek staring after him as he headed down the hall.

 

After reflecting for a few moments on the exchange they just had, Derek swung his legs off the bed and got up to look for the clothes he had shed on to the floor. He couldn't find them, until he looked in the closet, where they were in his laundry hampers, clearly Ethan’s doing. With a soft chuckle, Derek walked back to his bed and took his phone and wallet from the nightstand.  
He unlocked his phone and read the replies he had already received. Peter was livid of course, but wouldn't openly challenge him, especially since Derek had become an Alpha. Erica was complaining about Peter yelling at her for not knowing where Derek was. Boyd had decided to tail Peter, which Derek knew was going to be necessary. Isaac just wanted to know if they were still going out next Friday.  
Derek's stomach growled at him, and he realized he had only had a couple pieces of bacon since breakfast eight hours ago.  
With barely a sound, Derek padded into the guest room, where he found Ethan sitting on a pillow, his gently glowing back to the door.  
"You hungry?" Derek asked from the doorway.  
"Um-" Ethan shifted on his pillow.  
"What is it? Specific diet or something?" Derek asked with a hint of confusion.  
"You don't have to do this, any of this." Ethan replied simply.  
"It's the right thing to do. Nobody deserves what happened to you, least of all you." Derek said and left.  
Ethan sighed deeply as he got up and followed Derek into the kitchen, where he found him rummaging through cabinets.  
"Do you want help?"  
"Just sit, relax, and let the chef make his specialty."  
Ethan sat down at the bar and watched silently as Derek began to take things from the fridge.

In almost no time at all, the kitchen was filled with the delicious scent of crepes. Quick as a flash with his werewolf reflexes, Derek had two pans going simultaneously while he made the sauce. With a deft flip, Derek deposited the crepes onto a plate, drizzling sauce on top as he brought them to the table.  
After rummaging through a couple drawers, Ethan managed to find the silverware and followed Derek to the table with two forks in hand.  
"Here. Eat up." Derek said warmly as he handed Ethan a plate.  
"Thanks."  
Ethan took the smallest bite, chewing slowly.  
Without much ceremony, Derek sat next to Ethan and began chowing down, a look of bliss momentarily coloring his face with the first bite.  
There was a screech as Ethan pushed back from the table and walked away. Derek made a small noise of confusion, but remained seated as Ethan padded quickly back to the guest room.  
Derek looked over at the plate, noticing that Ethan had only had that one bite. He frowned in confusion when he saw there were drips on table, but nobody had made any drinks.  
Derek inhaled and realized by scent that they were tears.  
He put the leftovers away in the fridge, wrote a note instructing Ethan how to reheat them, and slipped it under the guest room door.


	4. Chapter 4

Ethan sat on a pillow, a familiar feeling, even in these lavish surroundings. He hummed gently, coaxing energy out of the ground. This was the best place to return to for him, grounded and quiet.  
He heard Derek slip something under the door, and then walk away.

Ethan,

Leftovers are in fridge. 3 mins at 30%  
Going out for supplies. Spare cell in my nightstand if you need to call.

-Derek

 

Ethan took the note and folded it up, tucking it gently into the waistband of his linen shorts.  
He waited for a long while after he heard the front door shut before venturing out of the guest room towards the kitchen.  
There was a container in the fridge as promised, and Ethan heated it up per Derek’s instructions.  
He leaned idly against he counter and pondered his situation while the microwave counted down.  
He wasn't sure how to tell Derek that he had stormed off from the table because the flavor of the first bite of the crepe was so overwhelmingly delicious that he was brought to tears of joy.  
At the top of the to do list for him would be finding out how much damage Peter had done by sidelining Ethan.  
With a sharp beep, the microwave brought him back to reality.  
Savoring each bite was important to him, as he had been eating the same paste in the vault for nearly a year.  
He quietly enjoyed his food, letting his mind turn back to the problem of Peter.  
There was no doubt that Peter was working for the side of the Nemeton, but how deeply he was involved was what Ethan needed to know.

The front door opened slowly as Ethan was cleaning up after himself and Derek walked in backwards, arms laden with shopping bags.  
"Want help?" Ethan said, eyeing Derek’s bulging arms as Derek walked over.  
"I got it. Here, clothing, toiletries, iPhone." Derek set down four bags as he walked the rest to the fridge.  
“You bought me an iPhone? Damn.” Ethan said in amazement as he pulled it out of the first bag.  
Derek chuckled, “Not even a drop in the bucket, financially.”  
Ethan took a look inside the second bag and snickered, "You got me gym clothes."  
"Figured you'd be comfortable in them." He replied, looking over his shoulder.  
"Yeah..." Ethan trailed off as he poked through he bags.  
"Have you showered?" Derek asked from inside the fridge.  
Ethan paused, then sighed, "I didn't think about it, no."  
Derek turned around with a smile, "Relax in the jacuzzi tub in the master bath. It's all yours. There are bubbles.“  
Ethan beamed at him, "Thanks Derek."  
Derek nodded with a grin as Ethan grabbed the bags and rushed off to the tub.

 

A knock on the bathroom door made Ethan jerk awake with a splash.  
"Ethan, you ok in there? Just checking." Derek's voice drifted through the door.  
"Oh, yeah. This is fantastic! I think I might have used up all the bubbles though." Ethan admitted, blinking around and realizing that there were bubbles everywhere.  
"Ok, well there's more in the cabinet, along with different scents." Derek informed him.  
"Thanks." Ethan said as he leaned back in the tub and closed his eyes.  
"Do you want something to drink? I have wine." Derek asked after a pause.  
"Sure I guess. Goes with the stereotype, gay guy, jacuzzi tub, bubbles, wine..." Ethan chuckled  
"You forgot candles."   
"Well I didn't see any." Ethan laughed.  
"Top shelf of the cabinet for the bubbles. Somewhere towards the back." Derek offered  
"I'm wet already, and short, so it's whatever."  
"Ok, I'll bring some wine."

Shortly thereafter, Derek returned with a glass and the bottle of wine.  
When he opened the door, he didn't look to where Ethan was lounging in the tub.  
"I have strategically placed the bubbles, don't worry, you're not gonna see anything." Ethan giggled.  
"Ok, just didn't want you to be uncomfortable."  
"Well, I'm fine, thank you." Ethan said as he rolled his eyes.  
"If you need anything else..." Derek said as he turned and walked away.  
“Hey, this is nice. Thank you.” Ethan said sincerely.  
Derek looked back over his shoulder and nodded, giving him a warm smile before leaving and closing the door behind him.  
Ethan sighed as he poured himself a glass of wine. He deserved to have the nice things he was enjoying now, he told himself. After a year of detention, and all the horrors that came with that, a glass of wine was the very least of what he deserved.  
He drank deeply from the glass, nearly finishing off what he had poured. Derek had chosen a perfect relaxation wine, just the right amount of balance between sweetness and dryness, with a wonderful bouquet of chocolate, cinnamon and roses.  
With a grin, Ethan poured more, almost emptying the bottle.

 

Derek listened from the other room as Ethan relaxed, the sounds of the bath drifting through the house, only detectable by his wolf senses. There was an occasional clink of glass punctuated by content sighs.   
Eventually the only noises coming from the bathroom were gentle snores, and Derek smiled softly when he heard them.  
He let Ethan rest for half an hour or so before knocking on the door.  
There was no answer, so Derek sighed and enter the bathroom quietly.  
Ethan was splayed out against the back of the tub, his arms rested on the edges.  
Derek stifled a chuckle at the empty bottle of wine and the small trickle of drool at the corner of his mouth.  
After laying out a towel for him, Derek gently touched his shoulder.  
The instant their skin met, a powerful shock coursed through Derek, launching him off his feet and into the wall.  
Ethan scrambled out of the tub, slipping and sliding as his eyes scanned the room in confusion.  
As soon as he saw where Derek had slid into a crumpled heap against the wall, he rushed over, slipping and sliding along the marble floors.  
“Derek, jesus, are you ok!?” He exclaimed as he skidded to a stop in front of him, hovering uncertainly over the slightly smoking Derek.  
“Derek?” He asked quietly, terror filling his voice.  
Derek let out a small groan, and Ethan let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding.  
“Oh thank god, I am so, so sorry!” Ethan exclaimed, dropping to his knees with a dull thud.  
“‘M ok. I think.” Derek slurred, raising his head slightly.  
Derek blinked stupidly several times and then proceeded to turn dark red and look away.  
“What’s- Oh.” Ethan said, looking down and realizing that he was stark naked and dripping wet, of course.  
“Towel. On the tub.” Derek said, his face still turned away.  
“Right, right...” Ethan said, pushing himself up and walking carefully across the slippery floor towards the tub.  
When he picked up the towel and turned around, he saw Derek quickly whip his head back to the side, averting his gaze.  
“Sorry, that’s a defense mechanism I developed while I was detained. Keeps the guards or anyone from pulling shit at night.” Ethan explained after wrapping the towel tightly around his waist.  
He approached Derek and held a hand out for him to grab.  
Derek looked up and took it, hauling himself up from the floor.  
“I wouldn’t hurt you purposefully, you know that, right?” Ethan asked, his voice laced with concern.  
“After all that you’ve been through, I could understand if you wanted to. But I believe you.” Derek said, his gaze dropping to Ethan’s hand, which he was still grasping.  
Derek cleared his throat and let go, turning and walking out of the bathroom, “I’ll let you get dried off and all. If you’re hungry, there may be a pizza place that I’ve wanted to order from, if that sounds good?”  
“Pizza!?” Ethan exclaimed as Derek rounded the corner.  
“Yup!” Derek called back.  
“Oh fuck yes.” Ethan muttered to himself, quickly running the towel over his body.  
He heard Derek laugh from the other room at his comment.

 

“Hey, Derek… I think you bought things in your size, you know, lean ’n’ mean? I’m, well, a bit thicker than you.” Ethan said as he walked into the kitchen, looking rather restricted in the tank top he had on.  
“Oh wow. Didn’t realize you needed the next size up.” Derek said as his eyes roamed over Ethan’s chest and shoulders.  
“Well, I was barely able to get this on. I have, like, a 46 inch chest, and this just doesn’t fit. Ugh.” He paused to scratch at the collar. “It itches. Also, I’m not used to wearing underwear.” He complained as he adjusted himself.  
Derek’s eyebrows shot up at this comment.  
“What? Peter said that he was being kind by letting my have any clothing period. You’re lucky our little talks had a modicum of decency about them.” He explained as he reached down to the hem of the shirt and started pulling it over his head.  
“Uhhh… Fuck.” He said a moment later, blindly turning in Derek’s direction and sighing, the shirt halfway over his head, “I- I’m stuck. Help?”  
Derek roared with laughter at this sight, half the shirt had gotten over his head, but the back was all rolled up and stuck under his armpits and wide back muscles.  
“Seriously Derek?” He sighed while waiting for the fit of laughter to subside.  
A second later, Derek had reached behind him and pulled the remainder of the shirt over his head, still laughing as he did it.  
“Thanks.” Ethan said, turning bright red as he found himself nose to lips with the taller guy.  
Derek stepped back and looked away awkwardly, Ethan could tell that he could smell the attraction.  
“Ugh, sorry. I can’t help it, you know?” Ethan admitted before turning away and heading to the guest room.  
“Ethan, wait.” Derek called after him.  
He paused and turned to look at Derek, who ran his hands through his hair, staring at Ethan, “Trust me, I know...” He admitted with a sigh.  
At this remark, Ethan’s brow furrowed slightly, then his eyes widened a look of shock crossed his face.  
“Oh.” He said softly before spinning on his heel and rushing into the guest room, slamming the door behind him.  
Derek took half a step forward, then stopped, letting out a long sigh as he pinched the nose of his bridge in frustration.

 

Ethan sat on a pillow, meditating silently, playing with the energies around him when he heard a knock at the door. He waved his hand and the door swung open slowly, revealing Derek holding a plate with pizza.  
He heard a gasp from Derek as the door opened, revealing the energy whipping around him like a tornado of flames, lapping at his skin.  
“Hi.” Ethan said, opening his eyes, which glowed golden, complimenting his hair, which was now past his shoulders and flaming golden-red.  
Derek stood there, mouth agape, a look of pure shock on his face.  
Ethan stood up, and the flames surrounding dissolved as he did, his eyes dimmed back to their usual brown-gold, and his hair shrunk back to just above his shoulders as it reverted to brown.  
“I’m almost back to full strength, thanks to you and the energy you lent me.” He explained as he walked forward.  
“That’s- you look like that normally?” Derek stammered in disbelief.  
“Nah, just when I channel energy freely like that. It’s nearly my true form, but not quite. Let’s hope you never have to see that.” Ethan said as he took the plate from the still-stunned Derek, “Thanks.”  
Derek shook his head and brought himself back to reality, “It’s meat lovers’.”“Is that supposed to be innuendo?” Ethan chuckled before taking a bite.  
“Not after how you reacted earlier.” Derek said flatly as he turned and left, pulling the door closed behind him.  
“Wait, Derek.”  
Derek paused, his hand on the door handle, and looked back expectantly.  
“I’m sorry. Feelings are confusing right now. I feel like I should hate you and your family for imprisoning me, but I know it wasn’t you. I feel-“ He paused, turning red.  
After taking a deep breath, he continued,”-I feel attracted to you. I guess it's partially because you believe me, and rescued me. It’s very confusing for me, and honestly makes me uncomfortable.”  
Derek ducked his head, “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”  
“I know, I know. This is internal to me, after all that has happened, and everything happening within just a week or so. I’m still processing.”  
“It’s only human.” Derek comforted him.  
“Which, ironically, I’m not.” Ethan pointed out before taking a bite.  
“Born human, emerged as an angel.” Derek corrected, adding “So, you still have all the human bits and qualities, yeah?”  
“I guess. Doesn’t make it easier though.” Ethan said after swallowing.  
“Will you at least join me in eating?” Derek asked hopefully.  
“Yeah, yeah I can do that.” Ethan said with a small smile and followed Derek to the kitchen.  
They sat and ate largely in silence, until Derek spoke up.  
"So... where do we go from here?" He asked tentatively.  
"How do you mean?" Ethan asked, pausing as he reached for the last slice they two of them had been eyeing.  
Their eyes locked and Derek's hand whipped out in a flash, but as he lunged, Ethan snapped his fingers, causing the pizza box to shoot across the table towards him.  
"Nice try." Ethan snickered as Derek's hand scrabbled against the cardboard box.   
"Now what did you mean by that?" He asked, giving Derek a small shrug as he met the reproachful look Derek had plastered across his face.  
"Peter. The war. All of that." Derek supplied.  
"Oh. Yeah. Well, the way I see it, if Peter is allied with the Nemeton, we need to find out how deeply. Might be able to use that to our advantage. We will definitely have to sideline him before introducing me into the fray.” Ethan summarized.  
Derek’s eyebrows had raised to an impossible new height, “How exactly are we going to do that? Peter is essentially a genius, it’ll be pretty much impossible to outmaneuver him.”  
Ethan smirked, “He doesn’t know you’re helping me. Go back, play ignorant, and plead forgiveness.” He continued, “It’ll suck, and you’ll have to maintain complete control over your heartbeat and chemokines.”  
Derek shook his head, “This is crazy.”  
“This is war.” Ethan said darkly.  
Derek nodded his head silently, a glum look crossing his face.  
Ethan handed him the piece of pizza, “Here.”  
Derek raised his eyebrows like always, “You sure?” he asked hesitantly.  
“Wouldn’t offer it to you if I wasn’t.” Ethan replied warmly as he placed the slice on Derek’s plate.  
Derek smiled at Ethan as he picked up the slice and took a bite.  
"Only disappointment is that it isn't cheese stuffed crust." Ethan quipped while cleaning up his place.  
Derek laughed and began choking on his pizza, making Ethan spin around, waving his hand.  
Derek coughed as the piece of food dislodged itself from his throat.  
"Thanks!" He croaked through watering eyes.  
"Better than the Heimlich." Ethan said with a wink.  
"Just don't make me laugh like that while I'm eating." Derek said hoarsely.  
“Ok, but no promises about when you’re not eating.” Ethan replied quietly from behind him.  
Derek turned and fixed a piercing gaze on Ethan.  
“You’re tired, you should get some rest.” He declared.  
Ethan unwittingly yawned as Derek spoke, and Derek raised his eyebrows pointedly.  
Ethan smiled softly, “I haven’t slept on a bed in a year. Peter also said that giving me even one pillow was a kindness.”  
Derek stood up and put his hand on Ethan’s shoulder, guiding him towards the guest room.  
“Sounds like you deserve a good night’s sleep then. On a bed, which happens to be a Tempurpedic.” Derek said casually as he ushered Ethan into the room, adding, “I’ll be right around the corner. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need me. Good night, and sleep well.”   
Ethan turned and looked at him, “Hey. Thanks.”  
“No problem.”  
“No, Derek, seriously. You saved me. Thank you.”  
“I- I couldn’t let that continue to happen to you.”  
Ethan put his hand on Derek’s arm, giving him a gentle squeeze, “Here’s a boost for tomorrow, to help you keep everything under control.”  
He closed his eyes and hummed a low note. With a shiver, Derek watched and felt the energy flow up Ethan’s arm and onto his own. It covered him with a mild glow before sinking into his skin.  
The boost came along with a feeling of loving contentness that Derek had never really felt before.  
“Good night Derek.” Ethan said, letting his hand slide down Derek’s arm as he let go.  
Derek broke eye contact, looking down at Ethan’s hand. After half a second, he turned and left, quietly closing the door behind him.  
Ethan smiled gently at Derek’s back, waved a hand to close the curtains, then disrobed and carefully climbed into bed, sighing deeply as the comfort of the mattress relieved the stress all over his body.  
He never even noticed his head hitting the pillow as the bone-deep weariness that had been with him for nearly a year overcame him.


	5. Chapter 5

“Ugh, fuck me to tears…” Ethan groaned as he woke up, his mouth and eyes dry.  
He was hit with the overwhelming urge to pee, making him scramble out of bed and rush to the bathroom.  
“Ohhh, sweet Seraphimic planes of existence that’s better!” He exclaimed when he reached the bathroom, throwing the toilet open and relieving himself.  
He mentally sighed, thankful that he always slept naked, keeping him from having to fiddle with clothes as his bladder screamed at him.  
He rubbed his eyes and shuffled back to the bed, where he found a large glass of water which had not been there when he had gone to bed.  
He downed almost all the water before sliding his shorts on and opening the bedroom door.  
There was light beaming through the windows in the living room, the westward facing windows. He immediately realized something was amiss.  
“What the hell?” He asked out loud when he looked to the kitchen clock, which read 6:45pm.  
He went back towards the guest room, but bypassed it and went through the wide open door into Derek’s room, which was deserted.  
“Derek?” He called out into the house, but received no reply.  
He closed his eyes and raised a hand, trying to sense Derek’s energy, but found the house was empty.  
He sighed in relief that his sensory abilities were working again, then went to his room to grab the iPhone Derek had bought him.  
He booted it up and found several numbers in the phone, and sent a text to Derek.

E: Hey, I’m awake. How is it 6:45pm??  
D: Oh hey! It’s not 6:45pm, its 6:45pm two days after you went to sleep.  
E: Bullshit  
D: Nope. Look at the date on your phone.

Ethan quickly checked the date, and confirmed that he had slept for nearly three days.

D: There’s a ton of food in the fridge. Cooked it all myself and there are reheat instructions. I’ll be home in 30.  
E: Thanks. I’ll probably eat all of it! :P  
D: Help yourself :)

Ethan quickly heated up as much as he could fit in the microwave, and devoured all of it by the time Derek got back.  
“Oh, thank gods for your cooking. I may have to nap again now!” Ethan exclaimed when Derek walked through the door.  
“I’m glad you’re up, I’ve got news. Also, clothes that fit you. I hope you like Under Armour?” Derek said as he closed the door behind him.  
“I love UA! What’s this news you’ve got?” Ethan exclaimed as he put his plates in the dishwasher.  
Derek walked up to him and smiled.  
“So I’ve done as you suggested, apologizing to Peter and all that. He seemed to believe me, and our ‘intel’, meaning Isaac's and Boyd's fabrication, which indicates that you’re hiding out in Central America, probably Nicaragua.” Derek coolly recounted with a smirk.  
“Oh thank gods. So I’m in the clear for now?” Ethan asked, his shoulders visibly relaxing.  
“Yeah, yeah you’re ok for now, as long as you’re here.” Derek replied warmly.  
“Gods, thank you so much!” Ethan exclaimed, pulling Derek into a tight hug  
“E- Ethan!” Derek croaked as he was squeezed tightly.  
“Sorry! Back to full strength apparently.” Ethan said, letting go and smoothing Derek’s shirt.  
The tips of Derek’s ears reddened as Ethan absentmindedly smiled and continued to smooth Derek’s shirt.  
Ethan stopped and smiled up at Derek once more before stifling a yawn behind his hand.  
“Oh wow, that was a ton of food.” Ethan said, patting his stomach contently, “By the way, where did you learn to cook? Everything was excellent!”  
“My mom taught me. We would cook pack meals together because we had the best noses of the pack.” Derek reminisced fondly.  
"That sounds nice. My dad and I did something like that before I lost my parents." Ethan said softly.  
Derek gave him a sad smile and squeezed his shoulder.  
Ethan sighed lightly, "I'm going to go shower and brush my teeth. I'm sure I'm disgusting right now."  
He turned to head to the guest room.  
"Do you smoke?" Derek asked suddenly.  
Ethan stopped and turned to him, "Um, not really. Cigarettes don't have any effect on angels, speaking from experience."  
Derek rolled his eyes, "Didn't mean cigarettes."  
Ethan's eyes widened, "Oh! Then yes, yes I do. In fact, I was considering starting my own cultivation place. The green thumb is strong with me, being a Seraphim and all. I always wondered if a smidgeon of my energy would make better weed.“  
Derek nodded, impressed with Ethan’s enthusiasm, "Join me on my balcony when you're done showering?”  
"Absolutely!"

Ethan stepped into the hot spray of the shower and let out a small moan, the water was just the perfect amount of scalding.  
The steam rolled off his body in wisps, and he lowered his head into the stream.  
For the first time in over a year, he felt safe. A tear rolled down his cheek, but was quickly washed away by the shampoo he had begun to later into his long, thick hair.  
Ethan realized that Derek, despite how similar he looked to the wolf who raped him, had begun to grow on him, heavily. There had been ample opportunity for Derek to betray him during the nearly three days that he had been asleep, but he had not.  
He finished his shower, cleaning himself over and over, trying to wash away the past year of horrors he had endured.  
He ran the washcloth down his abs and gently lathered up and down the shaft of his dick, when he caught himself wishing Derek was doing it for him.  
His eyes closed as he leaned back against the shower wall, rapidly becoming erect as he moved further down, caressing his balls and gently scrubbing between his cheeks.  
He bit down on his lip and gave himself a couple experimental tugs. He hadn't had any chance for sexual contact or release since his capture a year ago, and suddenly, the overwhelming human urges for sex, connection, and being cared for all slammed into him.  
He whimpered quietly as he stroked himself faster, tightening his grip.  
He sucked on a finger and then gently pressed it into his hole, barely managing to suppress the moan that was on the tip of his tongue by biting down on his lip.  
His eyes shot open as he realized that Derek's nose would be assaulted by his change in scent if he came, which would just be rude. His head dropped back against the tile with a dull thud, and he sighed sharply in surrender and disappointment.  
He dried himself off and put on fresh clothes before walking out to Derek's balcony.


	6. Chapter 6

With a grinder in one hand and a pipe in the other, Derek sat at the little table he kept in the corner of the balcony, packing a bowl.  
"Kief or no?" Derek asked as he looked up at Ethan.  
"Kief. All of it. Fuck me up." He replied with a chuckle.  
Derek grinned mischievously, "This is a grade A, top of the line, limonene-heavy sativa... Are you sure?"  
"I said fuck me up."  
"You got it."  
A minute later, Derek handed the pipe to Ethan, "Guests, and angels, first!"  
Ethan beamed at him, "Haven't smoked in over a year, haven't fucked in over a year, haven't had good food or clothing or a bed or anything in over a year. God it feels fantastic to be out of that hellhole."  
He lit the bowl and dragged and dragged on it. Derek's eyebrows shot sky high as he watched. Ethan held his breath for several seconds, a content smile crossing his face, before blowing out billowing clouds of smoke.  
"Jesus. You're a pro." Derek admired.  
Ethan laughed, coughed a bit, and laughed even more, "More than you know, more than you know..."  
Derek raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that, but Ethan was already making grabby hands at the pipe.  
"Hurry up and smoke already, this stuff probably has a diploma from St. Mary Jane University... talk about grade A!" Ethan giggled.  
Derek lit up after rolling his eyes, taking a smaller hit than Ethan, "Oh yeah..." he said as he exhaled, "Thank gods for this plant."  
They sat there in silence, letting the high roll in. Ethan's face felt light as a feather, and he began to glow softly.  
"You're glowing." Derek commented quietly.  
"I'm happy, it happens." Ethan replied simply, looking over at Derek slowly.  
A goofy grin spread across Ethan's face as he looked at Derek, "You have really pretty, wait, no, not pretty... stunning! Yeah, that's the word, stunning! I like that word."  
There was a pause, and Derek looked at him expectantly.  
"What?"  
"You never said what I had that is stunning..."  
"Oh, haha, that train of thought derailed. Badly. Crash and burn. Call the NTSB because we need an investigation!" Ethan roared with laughter.  
Derek shook his head and rolled his eyes.  
"That's it!" Ethan exclaimed, pointing at Derek's bearded face.  
"What is??" Derek asked in bewilderment.  
"Your eyes. They're stunning, and pretty. You're also not like the others. You're kind." Ethan said, his face flushing slightly.  
"Thanks." Derek said, ducking his head bashfully.  
"I- uh." Ethan started, then looked away, nervously tapping his foot.  
"You can tell me. Seriously. I won't judge." Derek encouraged him.  
"Well... I wish we had met under different circumstances? I like you. So, perhaps, just maybe, something could have... you know. Between us." Ethan's face turned red as he trailed off, looking away pointedly.  
Derek sat silently for a moment before replying, "So you're saying there can't be?"  
Ethan sighed, "I think it might be too dangerous."  
"Yeah..." Derek responded, looking slightly crestfallen. He handed the pipe back to Ethan.  
Ethan took another, this time smaller, drag on the pipe.  
He handed it to Derek, who stood up and said, "If the war was lost tomorrow, would you have any regrets?"  
Ethan scoffed, "What, like other than losing? Being dead? Letting an apocalypse happen?"  
"Yes, other than that. I read your diary, as you know, so I think I've come to know you fairly well. You didn't leave much out from it seems... Also I'm sorry that I didn't get your permission before reading all those incredibly personal things."  
Derek walked over to the balcony and leaned against it.  
"I-" Ethan stopped, then stood up, wobbled a bit, then joined Derek at the railing.  
"You ok?" Derek asked, eyeing him.  
"I'm just really high. I'm loving it, been too long." Ethan said softly, just before he began sliding his arm around Derek's waist.  
The tips of Derek's ears reddened, and he looked down at Ethan's arm.  
"Yes. I would have regrets." Ethan whispered to the city he was looking out towards.  
There was a pause, and Derek wrapped his arm around Ethan's shoulders, giving him a gentle side hug.  
"I wish you hadn't used so much soap." Derek pouted, sniffing in Ethan’s direction.  
"Huh? Why?" Ethan asked, looking up at Derek and withdrawing his arm.  
Derek dropped his arm as well, "I like your scent." He admitted shyly, not returning the gaze Ethan had transfixed him with.  
"Oh, I guess I could… just use less?" Ethan said, stifling a chuckle.  
Derek gave him a small frown, "Don't laugh... if only you knew how you smelled, you'd understand. It's... almost irresistible." He concluded quickly, his face turning pink.  
"I, umm, thanks. I don't think anyone's ever said something like that before. Honestly, I'm really flattered." Ethan smiled broadly at Derek, touching his arm gently.  
Derek smiled back, then his look shifted to a sly grin, "You said 'fuck me up' earlier. Wanna get cross faded?"  
Ethan laughed, "Ha, absolutely! You read me like a book."  
Derek nodded over his shoulder, "I keep top shelf bottles and wolfsbane in the living room bar, go pick something out for us."  
Ethan turned and headed inside, adding, "Got any beer? Just for maintaining the cross fade."  
"Shiner Strawberry Blonde in the fridge?" Derek supplied  
Ethan turned back, exclaiming, "I love strawberries, how'd you know?”  
"I didn't, I just love them too." Derek admitted with a shrug.  
Ethan snickered, "This is gonna be great!"

 

Derek’s ears perked up when he heard Ethan call to him from inside, “Hey wolf man, come do shots.”  
He snickered at the nickname and then padded through the house to the living room, where he found Ethan had laid out two rows of three shot glasses and was holding a bottle of Patrón.  
Derek shook his head in amusement, “My god, you’re a bona fide boozehound!”  
“So, you know the Latin saying ‘Quis custodiet ipsos custodes’ means ‘who watches the watchers?’” Ethan asked as he poured Patrón into the glasses.  
“I’ve heard that, yeah.” Derek said as he walked behind the bar to retrieve lime wedges and salt from the fridge.  
“Well, I’m one of the watchers. Nobody is there to watch over me, so I drink and smoke away the pain, trials, and tribulations of my duties as a Seraphim.”  
“Why don’t you have someone to watch over you?”  
“Ha, who possibly could watch over the highest of angels?” Ethan laughed raucously, which quickly devolved into hysterical sobs.  
He threw his hands up to cover his mouth, and took a deep, calming breath, then cleared his throated loudly.  
Derek walked over, set down the lime and salt on the bar behind him, then put his hands on Ethan’s shoulders, kneading them gently, “Shhh. I already have.”  
Ethan nodded, then reached over his shoulder and put his hand on Derek’s squeezing it gently, “Sorry, I’m good now. Shots. Please.” he said shakily.  
Ethan quickly placed a petal of wolfsbane in the first glass of each row.  
Derek dropped onto the couch next to Ethan and placed the lime and salt on the table in front of of them.  
Derek flicked out a claw and sliced the lime in half.  
“Impressive. My turn.” Ethan declared, standing up and grabbing both halves of the lime in his left hand. He walked to the middle of the living room, looked straight at Derek, and chucked them into the air.  
As the limes rocketed upwards, his eyes remained locked on Derek as his right hand shot out, and a sword flashed into existence just inside his grasp. The limes almost hit the top of the vaulted ceiling, then plummeted back down.  
With a smirk directed at Derek, his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his blade. He spun around, blindingly fast, striking out, cleanly slicing both lime halves in half before dropping to one knee and catching all four pieces in his left hand.  
“Holy shit.” Derek breathed, awe etched into his face.  
Ethan grinned widely and laughed, letting go of his sword, which dematerialized with a shimmer.  
“Again, just like in the vault, not at full power.” Ethan shrugged as he plopped down on the couch next to Derek, bumping their knees together.  
Derek reached over and took Ethan’s his left hand, pouring a small line of salt on the back of it.  
Ethan returned the favor, slowly sliding his fingers up the inside of Derek’s wrist to avoid spilling his own salt.  
They each took a glass, raising them in unison. They clinked their glasses together, “To you, Ethan, Seraphim, highest of angels.” Derek said with a warm smile.  
Ethan beamed and nodded, then they took the first shot.  
They both cringed after, Ethan shook his head in disgust and Derek stuck his tongue out, making a noise of contempt.  
“God I hate tequila.” Ethan remarked darkly  
“Best way to get fucked up though.” Derek added with a grin as he took Ethan’s hand again.  
They repeated the process, but this time Ethan made the toast, “To you, Derek, Werewolf, and the Alpha-iest of Alphas.” He said with a goofy grin.  
Derek shook his head and chuckled, grimacing as they both downed the shot.  
They both looked down at the final shot, “You want to do the last one?” Ethan asked.  
“Nah, it’s all yours.”  
Ethan didn’t smile this time, instead, a shadow crossed his face, “To our swift victory, may we finish this blasted war in one piece.”  
Derek nodded, and they pounded back the final shot.  
“So, how long does it actually take for an angel to get drunk?” Derek asked, looking over at Ethan.  
“Uhhh, well I haven’t had anything to drink for just as long as I haven’t smoked, so…” He shrugged  
Derek raised an eyebrow, “Twenty minutes?”  
Ethan shrugged and nodded.  
“Video games?” Derek asked with a grin.  
Ethan laughed incredulously at the suggestion, “I’m down! But before you judge my skills, I’m high, will promptly be drunk, and it’s been a year since I’ve touched a controller.”  
“Wouldn’t dream of judging you. I reserve the right to laugh though!” Derek quipped  
Ethan looked over at the entertainment center and waved his hand, sending two Xbox controllers zooming towards them. Derek snatched his out of the air, while Ethan let his gently glide into his lap.  
“Halo?” Derek asked knowingly.  
Ethan growled softly at this, “How’d you know?”  
“Your interest in sci-fi made it a dead giveaway, also you went for the Xbox instead of the PS4.” Derek replied coolly, despite the fact that his ears had turned pink at the tips.  
“My interest in sci-fi? How could you know about that?” Ethan asked incredulously.  
“Your diary mentioned seeing Prometheus and looking forward to Alien: Covenant.” Derek explained somewhat defensively.  
“Oh yeah! I’ve got to see it now that its out!” He beamed and clapped his hands in excitement.  
“Should be on Netflix in the next couple of weeks I think.” Derek informed him with a grin.  
“Hell yeah. Movie night!” Ethan said as he snapped his fingers, making the Halo disc slide into the Xbox.  
They launched straight into playing, which turned out to be a disaster for Ethan.

“Bullshit! I spiked you with that grenade!” Ethan exclaimed in frustration as Derek killed him once again.  
“Fresh overshield. Sorry, not sorry.” Derek chuckled.  
Ethan growled as he respawned, muttering about ‘fucking werewolf reflexes’.  
Derek looked over at him and rolled his eyes, “That Patrón is kicking in, I’m sure you’ll kill me eventually. Well, maybe.” He added with a chuckle.  
The next ten minutes passed quickly, and Ethan could feel the alcohol dull his reflexes.  
“AHA! Take that wolf man!” He exclaimed when he finally cornered Derek and blasted him into oblivion.  
Derek dropped the controller onto the table and leaned back against the couch laughing, “Wow, you really took it out on me, you didn’t have to shoot me in the face with a rocket launcher!”  
“I absolutely did. Kill me thirty times in a row and I will fuck you up the first chance I get!” Ethan shot back, tears welling up in his eyes as he shook with uncontrollable laughter.  
“It’s good to see you laugh.” Derek said softly, a warm smile spreading across his face as he picked up his beer.  
Ethan’s laughter died out and he looked over at Derek, blinking several times as he tried to focus on his face.  
“We’re both, um, crossfaded, yeah?” Ethan asked with a lopsided grin as he examined Derek’s face.  
“Ha, oh yeah.” Derek admitted with a giggle, after taking a swig from the bottle.  
“Ok, good.” Ethan said, nodding his head slowly, “So. I’ve really wanted to kiss you.”  
Derek’s eyebrows shot up at this and he cocked his head, “Are you going to?”  
Ethan bit his lower lip thoughtfully as he set the controller down, “Not sure yet. Trying to gauge if the booze and/or the pot is making me, or... us, want to.”  
There was a pause, and Ethan’s eyes roamed Derek’s face, pausing on his lips.  
“Hey, if this is because of what I said about regrets-“  
“No, shut up already.”  
Ethan leaned forward as he reached up and tugged Derek towards him by the shirt. Their lips crashed together clumsily, almost as if they were bumping their jaws together, and the kiss was sloppy but passionate. Ethan pulled back first and licked his lips, exhaling shakily as he let go of Derek’s shirt.  
“Haven’t kissed anyone for a year either?” Derek snickered.  
“Oh fuck you, I’m nervous. It’s your fault too, ‘cuz it takes two to tango!”  
“Maybe if we kiss thirty more times, then number thirty one will be the success we’re seeking?” Derek laughed  
“Oh you bitch!” Ethan laughed as Derek reached over to pull Ethan on top of him.  
Ethan swung his leg over Derek, straddling him as Derek gazed up at him.  
“God you’re... really hot.” Ethan commented unabashedly as he drank in every detail of Derek’s chiseled jawline, intense eyes, expressive eyebrows, and flawless skin. The intensity of his gaze made Derek’s cheeks turn pink.  
“Ha, I was hoping for something like ‘incredible’ or ‘gorgeous’ but I’ll accept ‘hot’ for now.” Derek said as he ran his hands up Ethan’s back.  
“Dick.” Ethan muttered as he leaned down to kiss Derek’s smiling face.  
This time it was much more tender, he pressed his lips to Derek’s and cupped the side of his face. Derek parted his lips and sucked in Ethan’s lower lip, eliciting a quiet moan.   
As Derek dug his nails into Ethan’s back, he pressed his tongue gently into Ethan’s pliant mouth. Humming in approval, Ethan slid his hand around the back of Derek’s neck, carding his fingers into his thick, dark hair, drawing him closer as he sucked on his tongue.  
Derek growled lowly causing Ethan to pull back, quirking an eyebrow, “Did you just growl at me?”  
“Absolutely.” Derek replied with a grin.  
Derek suddenly gripped Ethan tightly around the waist and stood up, easily lifting the two of them off the couch. Ethan wrapped his legs around Derek, threw his head back and laughed, “Showoff!”  
“Says the guy who sits around flaming all day and whose eyes light up like glowsticks.” Derek retorted before slowly licking a stripe up the side of Ethan’s neck.  
Ethan moaned, much more loudly this time, his head dropping back in pleasure. Derek murmured in approval, “Sensitive. I can work with that.”  
“Even as a wolf, how can you still do this after booze and pot?” Ethan asked between kisses as Derek carried him towards the master bedroom.  
“No idea. Really just glad I can.” Derek replied before pushing Ethan up against the wall in the hallway.  
They had moved from tender kissing to something much more primal and passionate. Ethan’s fingers were firmly entrenched in Derek’s hair, and Derek kept biting down on Ethan’s lip, sucking and tugging on it, then running his tongue gently over that same spot, as if apologizing for being so rough.  
When they finally broke apart, both of them breathless, Derek turned on the spot, lifting Ethan up a little higher before setting off to the bedroom.  
Derek sat on the edge of the bed and laid backwards, pulling Ethan on top of him. When he settled on top of Derek, his eyebrows shot up, “Whoa. Down boy, good god.”  
Derek laughed as he ran his hands down Ethan’s abs, “I can’t help it, great kissers are an instant turn on.”  
“A very, very big turn on I think…” Ethan said as he lifted himself up and reached between his legs, feeling the outline of Derek’s dick through the shorts he was wearing.  
“Well jesus fuck Derek.” He added as he firmly squeezed the throbbing mass.  
“Glad you like. Hope you can handle it...” Derek snickered, which earned him an exaggerated eye roll.  
“I know I can, trust me. Ten-ish?” Ethan said as he slid his hands up to Derek’s chest, settling back down on him, playing with his rock hard nipples through his shirt. He leaned down and kissed up along Derek’s neck, and Derek breathed, “Yeah, that’s about right.” as Ethan tweaked each nipple.  
“Oh? Sensitive? I can work with that.” He snickered playfully into Derek’s ear before sucking on its lobe and running his tongue up and along the back of his ear.  
Derek slid his hands down to Ethan’s waist, pausing for a moment before dipping his fingers below the waistband to cup his ass.  
Derek let out a low whistle as he kneaded each buttcheek individually, “Goddamn.”  
Ethan dropped his head onto Derek’s shoulder, “Yeah… about that…” He said with a long sigh.  
Derek stopped and withdrew his hands, “What’s wrong?” He asked, before pausing and adding as he realized, “Oh.”  
“Sorry, I just- It’s all kind of rushing back and…” Ethan apologized, but Derek shushed him.  
“Hey, hey, no, don’t be sorry. I never even thought this would happen. Don’t worry about it, ok?” Derek said softly, gently raising Ethan’s chin with two fingers.  
Ethan looked down at him almost mournfully, and Derek leaned forward, planting a small kiss on his forehead.  
With a small sigh, Ethan rolled off to the side and swung his feet over the edge of the bed, hanging his head. Derek sat up and hesitantly put his hands on his muscled shoulders, kneading them gently.  
“This ok?” He asked quietly.  
“Mmm.” Ethan replied, his head dropping to his chest as Derek worked out the tension in his neck and shoulders.  
A couple minutes passed in silence before Derek spoke up, “Good lord you have some insane knots. Do you mind if I, you know, work them out? I do have my license.” He asked as he increased the pressure, receiving a nod of approval.  
He moved his fingers up into Ethan’s scalp, massaging in small, gentle circles. “Would you be ok if I set up my table? I’d prefer you, well, naked, but I understand.”   
“I can do shirtless around you like you’ve seen.” Ethan said, standing up and reaching for the hem of his shirt. Derek stopped him, placing his own hands over Ethan’s.  
“Can I?” He asked, sliding his hands off of Ethan’s and onto the hem of the shirt.  
“I don’t know, can you?” Ethan snickered quietly.  
“Oh god, you’re one of those people.” Derek chided playfully as he stood up.  
Ethan stuck his tongue out at him as he raised his hands over his head.  
“Careful with that thing. Don’t go sticking it out at me if you’re just going to tease me with it.” Derek said as he gently lifted the shirt over Ethan’s head, discarding it on the bed.  
Ethan snorted softly, then stood up taller to plant a small kiss on Derek’s lips, “Go get your stuff, I’ll be right here.” He said quietly.  
Derek nodded, turning to walk out of the room, but paused.  
After a moment of hesitation, he turned back and pulled Ethan close, hugging him and planting a kiss on his head. He broke away after a moment and walked out of the room. With a sigh, Ethan flopped onto the bed, shaking his head as he smiled softly at the ceiling.  
Barely a minute later, Derek returned, a folded table tucked under one arm and a bottle of oil in the other. He went to work setting the table up as Ethan watched, and presented it with a flourish when he finished.  
“If you’d kindly?” Derek indicated towards the table and Ethan popped up off the bed and climbed onto the table, nestling his head into the face cradle.  
Derek silently went to the bedside table, poked at the small LCD control panel that was built into it, and soft music began to play.  
He walked back to the table and began poking and prodding at Ethan’s back, searching out all the knots and tense spots. Several minutes later, he pushed his thumbs deep into his upper back, eliciting a groan.  
“Ohhhh fuck.” Ethan let out in one long, drawn out groan.  
“You ok?” He asked, lessening the pressure out of concern.  
“Oh, I’m fan-fuckin-tastic. Go as hard as you’d like, I heal nearly instantly, but all the knots aren’t necessarily ‘damage’, so they don’t ‘heal’. I could certainly use it.” He said enthusiastically.  
Derek hummed in acknowledgment and went to work relieving the year’s worth of tension and stress that had built up.

 

By the time Derek finished, he was sweating and his hands were cramping.  
“Ok, that’s that. Damn, I don’t think I’ve ever worked someone that deeply. I’ve burned off the crossfade, my hands are cramping, and I’m soaked.”  
“Hnng.” was the only response he got from the now limp-bodied Ethan.  
Derek collapsed onto the bed and sighed forcefully.  
Ethan slowly lifted himself off the table and knelt on the bed, taking one of Derek’s hands. He raised his own, and it began to glow. He gently caressed the back of Derek’s hand, a trail of golden energy lingering for a moment before fading away and Derek gasped lightly.  
“Shhh.” Ethan said, lowering Derek’s hand and gently taking the other, repeating the process. When he finished, Derek sat up slowly and flexed his hands gingerly, “Wow. I was healing quickly, but that was instantaneous.”  
“I said ’shhh’ Derek.” Ethan said, raising a glowing finger to Derek’s lips. Derek looked at him, his eyes twinkling as they reflected the glow from Ethan’s outstretched finger.  
With a warm smile, Ethan gently ran the back of his hand across Derek’s cheek, leaving another trail of energy, this one lasting longer. Derek’s eyes fluttered shut and he leaned into the touch.  
Ethan continued to slowly caress Derek, moving down from his cheek along his neck, finally pressing his palm against Derek’s chest, where he could feel the steady, but elevated beat of his heart.  
“Can I do something?” Ethan whispered as Derek opened his eyes.  
“I don’t know, can you?” Derek whispered back shakily as he tried to refrain from laughing.  
“You’re such a dick, and it’s in all the right ways so far.” Ethan snickered as he looked into Derek’s eyes.  
Derek grinned at him, and his hand glowed brighter. The expression on Derek’s face rapidly changed from a grin to a relaxed happiness, then his eyes closed and his head dropped backwards as he let out a quiet moan.  
Ethan’s hand continued to glow brighter, and Derek raised his own hands, clutching Ethan’s to his chest as his moan grew louder.  
Ethan pressed him backwards, and Derek laid back on the bed, his eyes rolling back into his head. He bit down on his lip to suppress the sound coming from his mouth, and Ethan leaned forward, a hungry look crossing his face.  
Derek squirmed under the touch, his breath coming in shaky gasps. Derek’s back arched up and he cried out, unable to contain himself, “Oh fuck Ethannnnn!”  
The glow on Ethan’s hand faded, and Derek dropped back to the bed, panting.  
“What- what the hell was that!?” He exclaimed breathlessly.  
Ethan stroked Derek’s chest with his thumb as he explained, “I pumped a little of my raw power directly into you. I may also have charged it with some of the pent up sexual energy from earlier.”  
Ethan chuckled and added, “Puns not exactly intended.”  
Derek snorted softly and added, “Wow, damn.”“Well, I didn’t want you to be completely dissatisfied and blue balled.” Ethan admitted as he laid himself down next to Derek.  
“So that was you… getting me off?” Derek asked incredulously.  
“No, and yes. It’s… what I’m comfortable doing for now. Just imagine that combined with the real deal.” Ethan said as he gazed down at Derek  
“I’m guessing you don’t share that with many people?” Derek asked quietly.  
“You’re only the second. Well, technically the first to experience it standalone.” Ethan said, withdrawing his hand from Derek’s and rolling onto his back.  
“Wow.” Derek breathed.  
Ethan hummed in acknowledgment as he stared up at the ceiling.  
A few minutes passed in silence before Ethan heard Derek’s breathing change to gentle snores. He gently pushed himself up from the bed and quietly headed out of the bedroom.  
Before he could get to the doorway, he heard Derek ask quietly, “Could I convince you to stay here tonight?”  
Ethan paused and turned around, “How do you mean?”  
“Well, I like to cuddle, even if it’s just platonic.” Derek admitted sheepishly.  
Ethan nodded in understanding, “It’s a wolf thing, isn’t it? I get that, and my answer is yes, you could convince me.”  
Derek rolled onto his elbow and gave him a scrutinizing look, “I guess I’m going to convince you by saying that I prefer to be the big spoon, but enjoy both.”  
“Hmmm.” Ethan considered the proposal for a second, “Sold.” he replied with a smile before walking over to the bed.  
Derek stood up and walked over to his side, but Ethan stopped him.  
“My turn to take your shirt off, I think.” He said with a sly grin.  
Derek grinned as Ethan reached down and slowly slid the shirt up Derek’s body.  
He let out a low whistle as he revealed the treasure trail which ran all the way up his abs, fanning out across his chest.  
With one hand, he continued to take the shirt off, and he ran the other across Derek’s chest, humming in approval at the feel of the chest hair beneath his fingers.  
“It’s soft, just like your beard.” He said as he pulled the shirt over Derek’s head.  
Derek grinned, “You like?”  
“God yes. Hair should be soft, luscious, and thick, like yours.” Ethan said quietly, his eyes roaming Derek’s body.  
“You mean, like yours.” Derek replied, raising a hand and threading his fingers through Ethan’s hair.  
Ethan leaned back as Derek's fingers threaded back through his hair, down to the back of his neck.  
Derek smiled, and asked, "May I kiss you again?"  
"Well, when you word it like that, absolutely."  
Derek bent down and gently kissed Ethan, guiding him gently towards the bed.  
Ethan laid himself slowly down, pulling Derek with him.  
Derek broke the kiss and gently rolled Ethan onto his side, "You get to start as the little spoon, ok?"  
"Oh, I'm very ok with that. I like being held; I have to do the holding way too often." He admitted quietly.  
"Well, I think I can do that." Derek whispered into Ethan's ear as he wrapped an arm around his chest, nuzzling his whole body against Ethan's.  
"If you ever are uncomfortable, just leave. I won't read into it, I think I understand you now..." Derek softly informed him.  
"I don't think I will." Ethan said, threading his fingers through Derek's.  
"Oh. Well, good, yeah." Derek said, somewhat uncertainly.  
"Shhh. Let's sleep now, ok?" Ethan asked, squeezing against Derek's fingers.  
"Hey. Um, I wanted to ask you something..." Derek whispered hesitantly.  
"Yeah?" Came the equally hesitant reply.  
"Well. Now, after all we've been through, do you think you could, or would want to, you know, maybe have dinner with me or something?" Derek asked sheepishly and reluctantly.  
"I honestly don't know Derek. I like you, but... there's just so much going on. It's hard to trust the name 'Hale'. I know you rescued me, but it's a year of conditioning that I have to break. And even then, I️ just don’t know..." Ethan admitted, letting out a long, frustrated sigh.  
"I️ was just wondering. You definitely don’t live up to the awful dossier I️ have on you." Derek said, his voice filled with concern and confusion.  
“Shhh, let’s just sleep, please." Ethan reiterated, gently squeezing Derek's hand.  
"Ok." Derek said, returning the squeeze and rubbing his thumb over the back of Ethan's hand softly.


	7. Chapter 7

It was still dark out when Derek opened his eyes groggily, feeling around the bed for Ethan. His hand touched a wet spot on Ethan’s pillow. He inhaled and smelled tears and terror. He immediately sat up, "Ethan!?" he called out in concern. As he peered through the darkness, his eyes flashed to red, helping him see.  
"Out here." He heard the quiet, shaky voice from the open balcony door.  
He jumped out of bed and rushed outside, his eyes still glowing red.  
He found Ethan, head hanging over the railing, throwing up and trembling.  
"Oh gods." Ethan murmured before hurling again.  
"Jesus, what's wrong?" Derek exclaimed, grabbing Ethan, who had just sunk to his knees.  
Derek yelped and let go of Ethan, falling backwards onto his butt. He let out a shaky moan as the massive amount of pain that he had inadvertently taken the instant he touched him subsided.  
"I'm sorry." Ethan wept, curling himself away from Derek into the corner of the balcony, trembling.  
"What-?" Was all Derek could manage to utter.  
"Prophetic nightmare. Woke up. Beacon Hills will burn.” Came the quiet, agony-laced response.  
"You tried to take my pain, never try that, you can't handle it." He added with a sob.  
Derek leaned forward, shifting to a crouch, "You feel all that?"  
Ethan nodded his head silently, pausing to take several calming breaths, “And more.”  
He looked over at Derek, fear etched into his face, "Almost all the time. Tonight it's worse because something terrible, moreso than usual, will happen soon in Beacon Hills."  
"My gods..." Derek said, looking at Ethan with pity.  
"This is my burden, my duty. It's ok, I accept it. If it were easy, there would be no need for the Seraphim. I wouldn't have been designed and born to do this, or have gone through the shit in my life that I've gone through, et cetera. I'm good with it, really. Just have to deal with it." He ended with a shrug and a small, wistful smile.  
"Let me try again." Derek said, his voice barely above a whisper.  
"No fucking way." Ethan said flatly.  
Derek raised his eyebrows, his eyes glowing brightly, "I can help you. Let me. Please, Ethan." He held his hand out to Ethan.  
"I said no." Ethan gritted out.  
Derek frowned at him, "So you expect to do everything alone? Win the war alone? Never accepting help?"  
Ethan let out a long sigh, looking into Derek's bright red eyes, "Fine. I warned you." He said, gently placing his hand in Derek's.  
Derek looked deep into Ethan's eyes, and began to take his pain, slowly at first, breathing deeply as he endured what he took.  
Ethan's eyes began to glow, and they fluttered shut as tears poured down his face.   
Derek gripped Ethan's hand lightly, increasing the flow of pain to him. The black abomination that was pain and agony climbed up Derek’s arm. Ethan was in so much agony that Derek’s entire forearm turned black as he absorbed it all. He gritted his fangs, his face now completely shifted to Alpha form.  
Ethan's hand twitched away, and Derek tightened his grip, pulling more and more away from Ethan.  
Derek's head tilted back as he grabbed Ethan's wrist with both of his hands, and Ethan's eyes snapped open.  
"Derek no!" He exclaimed as Derek flooded himself with Ethan's pain, washing it all away as he let out a roar. It reverberated deep in Ethan's bones, and he could feel the Alpha's power flowing through him. Ethan probed outward with his own energy, little ribbon-like wisps of golden energy spiraled up his arm, up to where Derek's fingers had wrapped themselves around his wrist. They paused just at his fingertips, asking for permission almost, before being pulled up by Derek onto his own hands, as he absorbed more pain and anguish from Ethan. The energy wound it's way up Derek's arms, suffusing both of them with a soft glow.  
Virtually all of Ethan's pain had vanished, and tears no longer welled up in his eyes.  
Derek eased his grip on Ethan's hand, and inhaled deeply, bringing his head back down to look at Ethan, "Do you trust me now?"  
Ethan launched himself forward and wrapped his arms around Derek, knocking him back onto his butt as he sobbed into his shoulder, "Yes, gods yes. I understand you too now."  
Derek hugged him back, running his hands up and down Ethan's back as he was wracked by sobs, whispering "It's ok, it's ok, shhhh."  
“I want to go back to bed after I brush my teeth.” Ethan said when he finally quieted down.  
“Ok.” Derek said simply, slowly standing up at the same time as Ethan. Their unified flow faded gently. Derek guided him to the master bath, letting Ethan go brush his teeth in peace.  
Derek went back and sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting several minutes for Ethan to return. When he did, Derek stood up and turned to him, giving him a gentle hug.  
He stepped back and smiled sweetly at Ethan, then shifted into his full wolf form, as Ethan gasped, Derek's boxers fell away, dropping to the floor. He stepped over them and pushed his wet nose into Ethan’s hand, huffing gently before giving him a couple licks.  
“Jesus fuck, you’re gorgeous.” Ethan whispered in awe, gently running his hands through Derek’s fur.  
Derek lightly hopped onto the bed, walked in a circle several times, then laid down, red eyes locked with Ethan’s, who laid down and rolled over to watch him.  
“Guess it’s my turn to be the big spoon.” Ethan said, scooting closer to Derek, who nuzzled his soft snout against the bare chest he was presented with.  
"Hey, so that first day, when you made crepes." Ethan started.  
Derek's ears perked up and swiveled towards Ethan's voice.  
"I ran away because, well, because I was happy. Happy beyond belief or understanding. I hadn't tasted anything other than that shit nutrient paste for a year, and someone had just taken the time and put in the effort and care to make me a meal. I was crying, but they were tears of joy. Thank you, Derek." He finished quietly, carding his fingers through the fur on Derek's neck.  
Derek let out a small whine and nuzzled closer against Ethan's chest.

 

Ethan woke to a faceful of fur and the smell of pine and earth. He inhaled deeply, smiling and gently burying his face deeper into the fur. A wagging tail began to tickle his thigh and he giggled into Derek's neck, "Good morning."  
He stretched himself out, feeling Derek move next to him and opened his eyes to see Derek laying on his back, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth, red eyes glowing at him.  
"Are you going to shift back, or do you want belly rubs?" Ethan teased, reaching over and scratching at Derek's exposed belly. Derek's eyes shut halfway as a lazy, content look spread across his wolf face.  
While being scratched, Derek shifted back to human form, earning a fit of uncontrollable giggles from Ethan.  
Derek's eyes opened as Ethan's hand slid up his chest, resting over his heart.  
"Why'd you stop?" Derek pouted at him.  
"Well, you're naked, Derek. Completely. So, belly rubs nearly turned into fondling as you shifted back underneath my hand."  
"I wouldn't have complained." Derek said quietly, a mischievous grin crossing his face.  
"Shut up!" Ethan exclaimed jokingly, lightly slapping Derek's firm chest.  
Derek barked out a laugh and rolled away, out of Ethan's reach.  
"Can't escape me that easily!" Ethan called after him with a flick of his wrist, causing Derek to shoot across the bed with a yelp, right into his outstretched arms.  
"Gotcha." Ethan said quietly, wrapping his arms around Derek and kissing the back of his head.  
"Naughty. Shouldn't use your powers like that." Derek chided him, a smile playing across his face.  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ethan said innocently as one of his hands wandered up Derek's chest, past his neck and to his cheek.  
"Mhmm." Derek said as Ethan turned his head gently towards him, leaning down to kiss him gently.  
"Good morning." Ethan said softly before kissing him tenderly again.  
"Very good morning." Was the reply he got, along with another kiss.  
Derek's stomach growled at this point, eliciting a laugh from Ethan and and exasperated sigh from Derek.  
"I bet you're hungry too. You kind of, well..." Derek trailed off.  
"Yeah, there wasn't much left in there when we went back to bed." Ethan admitted, the joy evaporating from his voice.  
"Fresh crepe time." Derek said softly but cheerfully.  
He laced his fingers through Ethan's and gently pulled him upright, guiding him out into the kitchen.  
The sun was streaming through the kitchen windows, making the white quartz countertops glitter.  
Derek traipsed over to the fridge, pulling out various ingredients.  
“So, this time is there anything I can do?” Ethan inquired, leaning against the island.  
“Again, nope.” Derek said cheerily, “Just enjoy the show!”  
Ethan chuckled and settled back against the island, watching Derek deftly throw together their breakfast.  
He couldn't help but smile widely as he watched Derek give him a show, flourishing gestures and neat tricks only a werewolf could pull off.  
Now, Ethan realized, this is how you feel around someone you really like. Little glances here and there, a gaze held for just barely too long, an accidental brushing of the fingers, these were the things you couldn’t help but notice now, blaring beacons of poorly hidden affections.  
Snapping back to reality, Ethan perked up and went to the silverware drawer, pulling out utensils for the two of them.  
"I promise I won't run away this time."  
Derek's laugh was bright, and it lit his face up, "I'm sure you won't. After you!" He gingerly handed the plate into Ethan's outstretched hands.  
There it was, one of those accidental brushings of the fingers, and time slowed for Ethan.  
He gazed up at Derek's face, glowing with that gorgeous smile, and held the gaze for just a second longer than he should've.  
The moment ended. Reality sped back up, snapping every one of the near-perfect moments of clarity back together into a running stream.  
Ethan set the plate down in front of him with a hungry look on his face, and in his eye.  
Derek watched the first bite being savored, no tears, no flights of emotion, just simple enjoyment.

Derek reached for his glass- and the front door exploded, glass and wood flying inward.  
Ethan's hands were already crossed in front of him, a barrier protecting the two as the sat at the table, splinters of wood and shards of glass bounced off the bubble that surrounded them.  
He flew out of his chair, literally, as his wings burst forth, raising him skyward.  
Peter roared a terrible sound, and half the windows in the house shattered.  
Derek's eyes were incandescent, claws and fangs at the ready. He crouched next to the table, poised to strike.  
"TRAITOR!" Peter roared at Derek, spittle flying from his mouth, their eyes locked in a fierce but silent battle, inferno red versus glacier blue.  
"Murderer!" Derek spat back, his eyes burrowing into his uncle's.  
Ethan floated silently, glowing and ready to fight.  
"I did what I had to- humans can't be trusted! The only way to survive is through the power of the Nemeton. We don't need the humans, it can be just our kind!" Peter exclaimed madly at Derek.  
"Yet you kill our kind!? Peter look at what you have done! You've worked against our family, not for it!" Derek yelled back, then tension in the room exponentially increasing.  
"Derek..." Ethan said softly, the insistence and panic in his voice was unmistakable.  
"I won't let you destroy our future, nephew." Peter said calmly, the tone of his voice indicating his conviction.  
Derek struck first, launching himself at his uncle’s throat, claws slashing out only to miss by mere fractions of an inch.  
Ethan's hand stretched out, and his sword materialized into existence in front of him. He snatched it out of the air and landed grandly on the floor of the dining area.  
Peter had dodged Derek, and countered, sending the alpha into a wall.  
Peter turned, sneering, towards Ethan, who raised his sword in anticipation of the next attack.  
Without missing a beat, just as Peter began to lunge, Derek sprung back up and took Peter's legs out, causing him to slam to the floor.  
Ethan dropped the sword, slammed his hands together and Peter disappeared with a screech and a flash.  
Derek looked at Ethan in horror, "What did you do!?"  
Ethan held up his hands, "Relax, I didn't harm him, but only because of you. I teleported him to an old Hale holding facility that I was held at before. You guys abandoned it a while ago."  
Derek sighed in relief, "I'm sorry I doubted you."  
Ethan grimaced, "I considered it for a split second. But thought of you."  
Derek stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Ethan.  
He could barely breathe, Derek was squeezing him so tightly. He felt Derek's overwhelming concern for him flooding through his empathic abilities.  
"Der-" he choked out, hugging him back.  
"Ethan, I'm so sorry." Derek said, releasing him from the vice grip that had been a hug, but still holding on to his shoulders, examining him.  
"You're ok, yeah?" He quickly asked, eyes still roaming Ethan and his wings, which had tucked themselves away against his back.  
As they locked eyes, Ethan began to say, "Yeah I'm-"  
He stopped as their eyes bored into each other, and he could sense Derek's pain automatically. Golden energy flowed up his arms, through his shoulders and hugged tightly to Derek's skin, ascending up across his arms and shoulders, around to his back.  
Derek's face went slack for a moment, a relaxed, content slackness, punctuated by a light sigh of relief.  
"Thanks." He murmured when Ethan's eyes opened again.  
"Of course." Ethan said as he reached forward and took one of Derek's hands.  
"We need to find out if Peter told anyone about this place." Ethan said, looking around at the mess that was left of the front door.  
"I'll take care of that, you go make sure Peter is secure."

Another high pitched shriek and a flash later, Ethan was standing in his first cell, a look of poetic satisfaction on his face as he looked around, Peter's near lifeless body laying near the broke toilet. His teleport had been a rough one, as Ethan had intended, draining Peter of most of his energy.  
A trickle of dust fell before him from the ceiling above, the cracks he had left in the fabric of reality were still quite present. The destruction of the restrictor device had rendered the outpost unstable and unusable.  
To immobilize Peter, Ethan knelt down and drew a binding rune with his finger in mid air, guiding it to Peter’s back, where he placed it with a sizzle.  
He spat on the ground next to Peter, “One day, you’ll get yours, you rat bastard, but not today.”  
Then, with a clap, he teleported back.

"So, here's the thing." Derek started, a guilty look crossing his face, "I think I know how he found us, and it's my fault."  
"Oh?" Ethan asked, pursing his lips while his eyebrows elevated nearly off his forehead.  
"It's not what you think. I brought you a present last night, and I didn't think to check it for a tracker." Derek said, fucking his head slightly.  
"A- a present?" Ethan stammered, trying not to laugh.  
He failed, miserably, as a raucous laugh burst forth from his lips. Derek stared at him in bewilderment as he doubled over, in a fit of hysteria.  
"God, I hope it was worth it then!" He simmered down, wiping his eyes with a residual chuckle.  
"Is Starbuck worth it?" Derek asked with a wide grin and a glint in his eye.  
"No fucking way! My car!? My baby!?" Ethan exclaimed, grabbing Derek's shoulders gently.  
Derek laughed and nodded his head vigorously, "she's outside, I had her delivered here from the impound lot after being cleaned and fueled up. I was hoping to lift your spirits more while we figure out the thing with Peter." He finished, flashing an impossibly wide smile at him, despite the mention of Peter.  
"Well, now we know where Peter stands, or rather, lays, immobilized." Ethan added with a cock of his head  
"Now we need to focus on damage control. But first... let's drive?" Derek asked expectantly, motioning towards the destroyed front door.  
Ethan's eyes brightened immediately, and he grabbed Derek's hand, dragging him to the bedroom to put shoes on.  
"Come on, come on!" He exclaimed, using telekinesis to bring their shoes and socks flying towards them.  
The shoes and socks arranged themselves on his feet and tied themselves as he giggled at Derek who was rushing as well.  
"So useful." He said, smiling down at his hand. Quickly, he stood up and held out a hand, which Derek promptly took.  
They dashed outside, Ethan running up to his car and literally hugging it, running his hands across the soft convertible top, a joyous smile lighting his face up.  
"Gods, I missed you Starbuck..." He whispered to the car as he rested his hand on the drivers door, his eyes closed, a sentimental look crossing his face.  
He opened it and climbed in, rolled down the windows and grinned at Derek, "Get in loser."  
"Mean Girls, nice." He responded as he climbed in the low slung car.  
Ethan reached over and ran his hand across the back of Derek's, grinning at him fondly.  
"Thank you. Seriously." Ethan murmured before pressing the start button.  
Starbuck roared to life and Ethan let out a squeal of elation, then sheepishly raised a hand to cover his mouth.  
Derek giggled and cooed at him, patting him on the shoulder as Ethan reached up to lower the convertible top.  
They both basked in the sunlight for a moment, Ethan running his hand gently over the dashboard, and Derek realized that Ethan had run his hands over him the exact same way not a few hours earlier. A small, warm smile played across his face, and he felt supremely content.  
Ethan looked over at Derek, examining the look on his face.  
"Ready?" Derek asked, looking over to Ethan.  
"Let's get out of here." Ethan kicked it into gear and zoomed past Peter's car, "Hmm, gotta get rid of that."  
"Don't worry, I already contacted Boyd and Isaac. Let's go ride, by the time we get back, my place should be all back to normal."   
"Too bad everyone knows about it now."   
"I think I can arrange for a potion to be made, Boyd and Isaac would willingly drink it to forget where my place is located. They know how much I value the person I'm seeing and our privacy." Derek explained over the rush of air as Ethan took off down the winding roads, cornering turns with enthusiasm.  
"Damn Derek." Ethan replied as he pulled up to a stop sign, pausing to look over for a moment.  
He found Derek wasn't looking anywhere but at him, teeth glittering in the bright sun.  
"Well they all know I have it, but they've never known where. They've respected the fact that I usually date non-wolves, so it helps to have a place that isn't constantly buzzing with the pack."  
"Get the person used to the idea of werewolves, packs, supernatural creatures and whatnot? Has that ever worked out before?" Ethan said incredulously, looking back at the road.  
"Sorry if I'm prying." He quickly added.  
"I'm glad you're the first person I shared my place with." Derek abruptly blurted, eyes pointed dead ahead, deliberately not making contact.  
"Derek, that's-" Ethan paused as he pulled the car over.  
"Wow, I... wasn't expecting that." He finished, looking over at Derek and smiling softly.  
This time, the gaze they held could've lasted for eternity, and even that would not be a moment too long.  
Derek leaned over the center console, paused as he tilted Ethan's chin slightly, then kissed him sweetly in the bright sunlight as they sat on the side of the road.  
"You're a truly amazing guy- well, Seraphim, but you get what I mean. I'm glad I've gotten to spend this time with you, and I would like it to continue." Derek admitted quietly after looking from Ethan's hand on the gear shifter, trailing up his arm to his shoulders, then to his face, locking eyes before speaking.  
"Derek..." Ethan began, almost reluctantly.  
"Don't." Derek said simply, "Just... think about it, ok? You're always welcome at my place, regardless of your decision."  
"Derek, I don't need time, ok? Fuck, I like you, not because you're gorgeous, which helps, obviously, but because you're one of the most amazingly kind people I've ever known. That's extremely attractive to me. Protecting family, or pack, as you would see it, is of paramount importance to me. I'm just not sure about where it can go from here."  
Derek reached over and put his finger against Ethan's chattering lips, silencing him.  
"We'll figure it out as we go. Let's go grab breakfast somewhere." Derek declared softly, taking the finger he had against Ethan's lips and running it across his cheek.


End file.
